Behind the Smoke Screen
by sadistickunais
Summary: *CHAPTER 18 NOW POSTED* Larxene is in denial; Marluxia is in solitude. Sometimes, kindred spirits can make things right...or as close to right as life will allow. Main Pairing: MarluxiaxLarxene, with various others! No spoilers since it's AU Rated M.
1. Solitary

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. I have nothing, seriously. Fresh, college students, like me anyway, don't own shit. But please, do enjoy the fic._

**A/N: Totally new to this. Just a oneshot, right now anyway. I apologize if the person seems out of character (if you guess who it is) ahead of time. It's totally an A/U fic. Um…so, since I'm new at this, reviews are appreciated…hell, even flames, I suppose. But constructive criticism is more welcome than flames. But you'll do what you want, right? Well, enjoy the fic!

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**Solitary **

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Stark, white walls encompassed in silence were the only connection she had to the "real world" at the present moment. Her mind was blank as she laid on her bed, seemingly lost in thoughts that didn't quite make sense, nor did they seem to really go anywhere. The white walls were enough to make her scream—but she'd been living in them for quite some time. When one lives like she did for so many years it was easy to forget what things outside were like, especially things that consisted of colors other than the various shades of ivory she was subjected to every day. Because this was so, she spent most days staring out the window, waiting for something that would probably never come, waiting for someone who would never appear. However, certain things did appear every now and then when she would do her daily gazing out the clear glass surface, hiding partially behind the curtains so as to not be seen. It seemed like she'd been living in this place forever, longer than anyone in existence had been living at all. '_But that's not possible, is it?_' At time, when she was doing nothing, she would look at herself and the blurred image of herself staring back from the window, usually when night fell. Because the image was so distorted, she could never tell her true age. '_How old am I, really?_' She knew, sort of, by her hands and the feel of her face that she couldn't be a day or two over adulthood—she still felt young. '_Can I even feel young?_'

But somehow, as she glanced out the window this particular evening, she felt odd like something was amiss. The townsfolk never noticed that she'd been living there for so long, in that secluded, walled up, abandoned building with only one window to use to see the outside world. The boarded up walls and cracks seemed to give off a sense of eeriness, therefore no one from the town ever lingered around the spot for too long a time. She sighed as she brushed away a strand of blonde hair from her eyes, hugging herself with her arms as she watched the streetlights come on to brighten the evening sky. Underneath certain lit up areas she could see couples walking hand in hand, some even stopping to share a brief kiss under the moonlight where they thought no one could or would see. But she saw all, everything, everyone. How could someone, who was considered invisible, not see all when she had the best view in town? '_And all for what?_ _For exile?'_ Sometimes, when she was feeling particularly lonely, she wished to be there, no longer in exile, sharing her thoughts with someone. '_But who exiled who?_' Deep in her heart she knew she'd exiled herself from society, that she couldn't stand to live in a town that did not accept who she was.

And for some reason, every time she looked down into the town, she wanted to return even more, her desire growing with each passing moment. Sighing again, she pushed the curtains back in place as she let the darkness envelop her. The moonlight attempted to stream through the thick, cream colored curtains but very little of it successfully entered her little living space. She sat upon her bed, the grimy, stained mattress not the least bit comfortable with its holes and sharp bedsprings coming through the surface. Her pillow was in dire need of washing and her cover could have very well been completely flea infested. Yet some part of her, a part she didn't understand, refused to go back. '_There's nothing for me there…not anymore._' Once, long ago, she had things she cared about, people she loved, who lived in the town. But years had passed since then and they had died, little by little, as her disappearance stretched. '_Why didn't they come to find me? Why didn't they think to look for me?_' The answer was one she was sure she did not want to hear let alone imagine. Would it have been worth it? '_No_,' she thought. The town was dead to her now, just as her old personality was as well. '_People change, I've heard_.'

She knew she'd changed, grown up, stopped hating everything and everyone—stopped the masochistic-sadistic nature that flowed through her veins. Though not gone entirely, she had managed to bring it down to a minimum. But it was too late by then; the town had become afraid of her. Exile. Excommunication. She was kicked out even though it hadn't been voiced. '_And I went with it by leaving. I could have stayed_.' Shaking her head, she pulled the cover tighter around her thin, lanky, somewhat emaciated frame. She'd been starving herself for a while now. She'd stopped eating, drinking—death was slow, death was fast; and she'd chosen slow death. '_I deserve it._' Shivering, she felt chills run down her spine at the memories she didn't want to remember, that she wanted so desperately to erase. '_The exiled_.' Her fingers trailed to the side of her worn down mattress until they reached a torn, hard-covered book with dog-eared pages and bent edges. Smiling weakly, she gingerly hefted the book into her arms, hugging it for dear life as though it was her anchor to the real world. _The Marquis de Sade_; the faded gold lettering was a reminder of how long she'd had and how long she'd been gone. '_This book…it was given to me on my 5th birthday…_' She couldn't quite recall much of that, except that she'd been thrilled when she'd received it—her parents had always believed her to be quite eccentric. She recollected reading it so many times that she'd been banned from reading it at all. Her mother had been very adamant about her passing school. '_I dropped out anyway…after…_' Shuddering, she let the memories slide as sleep started to overcome her. In the end, it was all just a bad memory, wasn't it?

Somewhere, on the edge of town, another person was thinking the same thing.

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So…what did y'all think? Let me know. Until next time. 

_Sadistickunais_


	2. Asylum

_Note to Disclaimers: Well, I should think this is pretty standard, but hey, never hurts to be sure! I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts I, II or CoM, so please don't sue me. You would so be able to tell if I owned it--cause there'd been more yaoi action (roxas/axel) and Larxene would NOT have died cause she's freakin awesome! So yeah, don't sure me. There will be no profit in this whatsoever...unles you count the wonderful reviews...NO MONETARY VALUE SHALL ACCOMPANY THE PRODUCTION OF THIS STORY ON Thank you!_

A/N: It's still A/U. There's not much else to say, other than the fact that there will be Boy love, meaning boyxboy pairings, and things containing yaoi, cause it's great. However, regarding some of the things to come, sayings, expressions etc, just know that I have NOTHING against homosexuality. PRO-MARRIAGE, I SAY! The characters are just made this way cause it fits the template of the story. Besides...if I was homphobic, why in the seven levels of freakin purgatory would I be writing or reading Axel/Roxas, Sora/Riku fics? PRO-YAOI AND YURI! So read and review, read and flame, read and critisize, pick your poison and be my freakin guest. Thanks all! Enjoy! (and if you're still offended...then I'd be more than happy to squash you're ignorant ass...so yeah. IM/email me if it becomes a problem and you want to cuss me out.) .

Text coding: '_Thoughts',_ "Speaking", everything else, _the occasional flashback/remembrance of some sort._

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**Sanctuary  
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** Sigh. '_Do you remember why you were kicked out? Do you even acknowledge what you did wrong, all the bad you did?' _

_Do you know why you're being kicked out, you insolent brat? Do you even acknowledge what it is that you just did? Heinous! Blasphemous, disgusting! Trouble, that's all you ever were, are, and that's all you're ever going to be! Get out of this house before I call the cops. You're never welcomed back here so don't ever come back with your sorry self. You're not our son. You're dead to us now. You're a disgrace. Don't return._

_NEVER._

Another sigh, a twist of his head. Long, brown hair shifted from side to side as he walked desolately to the town's entrance. He'd gotten word that his friend lived someplace that was nice, quiet, away from the busy city and that wouldn't know anything about where he came from. It sounded perfect, or at least good enough to house him for a bit while he regained control of his life, set things in order—all that good, necessary stuff that ensued after one was disowned. Sighing for what seemed to have been the 10th time in a 2 minute time span, he marched through the cozy, welcoming gates of Twilight Town, ignoring the sign to his right as people walked by him, smiling and waving politely. '_They don't even suspect?_' Demyx had said the town was relatively disconnected from everything the rest of the world had to offer, especially the city in general. He mentioned that the people were very adamant about staying as disconnected as possible, trying to maintain a certain type of lifestyle contrary to what the cities would want. Shaking his head, he continued the trek to where Demyx's house was rumored to stand, somewhere on the outskirts of the city but close enough that Demyx was able to stay "in-touch" with the townspeople. It was just to good to be true, right?

The sky was a hazy, lazy mix of colors ranging from orange, light blue, red and yellow, highlighting the sky as the sun began to set, albeit slowly. The houses were mostly peach or tan colored, blending in well with each other but different enough from the actually scenery of grassy hills and knolls to the dark blue lakes and forest green trees. Most houses had fences, too, either light brown in shade or stark white, like a hospital room. He shivered at the thought; he hated hospitals with a passion. '_So, I'm looking for a small, two bedroom house the color of my hair?' _He glanced back and forth between the streets, trying to find the house of his friend. And then he saw it, sitting neatly between a tanned house and a peach colored house. The dark brown of its exterior was rather noticeable compared to the other two with their wrap around porches and neat front lawns. Demyx's porch was square and plain, and his lawn was lacking in décor as well as life. '_Hm…some thing's never change_.' For a person who was so obsessed with the element of water, he figured the younger man could have at least spared some for his dying front lawn; but apparently, Demyx was just too selfish to spare even a few drops.

Pinching the bridge of his noise, the brown haired young man stepped up to the porch and pressed the rusted looking doorbell that sat to the side. He could hear the chime spread through the house, echoing off the walls and making sure the occupants living inside heard it too. A minute or two passed as he stood there, waiting patiently for the dirty blonde to open the door. But when another couple minutes passed and no one came, he grew impatient and began pounding on the door's wooden surface, which shook like it would break with another pounding. Seconds after his brutal assault he could hear footsteps—erratic and quick—making their way around the interior of the house before the door swung open to reveal his friend looking completely disheveled. Demyx's towel was barely hanging from his hips, courtesy of his fingers, as he gave a small smile. "You're here!"

Rolling his eyes, he pushed Demyx aside as he set his bags down and went in search of a restroom. He needed to take a piss like hell. He was opening the door, happy that he would be able to relieve himself, and stopped dead, clapping a hand over his mouth before he could scream a string of obscenities like no other. A pair of dark indigo eyes stared back at him, seemingly emotionless as the young man secured the towel he'd been tying around his thin waist. Locks of lavender-silver hued hair fell in strange angles about his pale complexioned face as the young man continued on as if nothing was wrong, as if he hadn't been barged in on while changing after a shower. "Can I help you? Or did you need to use the bathroom?" The young man simply stared at the brown haired youth, curious. "I can leave so that you may go. I am finished." He disappeared.

Gaping, the chestnut haired man slammed the door. Outside he could hear Demyx talking to the stranger. "Hey, Zex, didja scare him?"

"He barged in on me. I didn't do anything," came the stolid, quiet reply.

Demyx was heard again, the annoying whine of his vocals piercing the air. "Yeah, I figured. But still…did you at least introduce yourself?"

"Does he need to know me?"

"He's my friend, our new roommate and you're my boyfriend. I think it's pretty standard…"

_Shuffle, thump, slip, squeak._ "Well, if this is so, then I shall introduce myself when the time presents itself. Until then..."

Demyx whined again. "Zex, I hate when you use this against me!" _A sudden moaning_. "No! He's in the bathroom! Wait till he goes out for a bit, geez!"

If anything, the youth in the bathroom wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear—that or slit his throat with a razor-sharp scalpel. His head was spinning with images he didn't want in it as Demyx—he assumed it was him—let out another moan, this one in pleasure. Sighing, the brown haired man shoved his fingers in his ears as he tried to block the oncoming sexual preview into Demyx's love life. He cringed when he heard a loud yelp, then a curse, then silence. Sighing again, this time in relief, he managed to take his piss and remain calm as he exited the bathroom, feeling his face flush slightly at Zexion was hadn't quite closed the door but was changing, his towel half off his nude form. '_Ugh…_' he thought as he noticed the front door was open and there was singing coming from outside. He followed the trail of noise until he found its source; Demyx was outside strumming on his famous sitar and humming happily as the sun started to really set. Rolling his eyes, the older of the two took a seat next to him, annoyed but content at the same time. The blonde looked over at him, his trademark mohawk flat as he'd gotten out of the shower and hadn't fixed it just yet.

"Hey, so…what's up?"

"Are you two going to uh…um…have sex wherever and whenever?"

Though the question was totally unexpected Demyx still gave a small smile; his friend had always been a little uncomfortable with homosexuality as a concept. When it had materialized in the form of Demyx, his friend had gone straight paranoid. But Demyx's friendship was of high value so they remained friends. Nevertheless, he still had to laugh at the hesitant, slightly homophobic youth. "Um…no...that'd just be gross, wouldn't it?"

"Well, I know it's your house and all…"

Demyx cut him off again, this time with a laugh. "No, we're not going to. I'll tell Zex we gotta cool it while you're livin here. And um…you know, since you're gonna be our new roommate, I gotta listen to you too, right?"

"Since when have you ever listened to me?" The brown haired one raised a curious brow, sarcasm dripping from every word as he stared at the setting sun. "Anyways…it's your house; do what you want. Everyone else does, so why should it matter or be any different here?"

"Look, I'm not like your family. We've been friends since high school. I'm not blaming you for anything, so lighten up. Have some fun, live life!" Demyx replied with another laugh as he clapped his friend on the back. "In the meantime, I'll let you sit out here and brood until you feel like stopping. I want you to meet some of my friends tomorrow though, some cool guys. You'll like them. So…just…settle in, all right?"

"Are they gay?"

Laughing again, Demyx shook his head at the irony of the situation. "No, not everyone I associate myself with is gay, you know." When his friend opened his mouth to retort Demyx quieted him. "You're not gay, are you?" Silence. "Well then, see you tomorrow. Try to get some sleep, ok?" A hesitant nod. "Good night!" And Demyx was gone.

Now by himself outside on the porch, he contemplated exactly what is was that he was going to do tomorrow, aside from meet these friends of Demyx's. However, one thought popped into his head and he cursed loudly. "Shit…I didn't find out where I'm gonna sleep…" Cursing again, he stood up and went after his hyperactive friend, hoping that Demyx was tired and not in the mood for talking. Or Zexion a la carte. Luck should have it that Demyx was indeed not in the mood for either as he sat at the dining room table, stuffing his face with twinkies and drinking water. 'That is the most bizarre combination I've ever seen.' The thought was short-lived when he felt someone's presence behind him. He slowly turned to see Zexion staring at him, impassively. "Hi…you must be—"

"I'm Zexion, Demyx's boyfriend," the lavender haired man replied, extending his hand though his voice and facial expression seemed anything but welcoming or friendly. "Demyx tells me that you've been friends since High School." They had both sat down with their friend at the table, though Demyx was still to busy drinking glass after glass of water to notice. "I am glad to finally meet his old friend that he talks so much about. I've only been with him for 2 years now. But his other friends are…" He looked the mahogany haired man up and down before nodding, appreciatively. "Well, let's just say they are nothing like you."

"Uh…" Demyx cut in suddenly, forgetting his twinkies. "Man, Zexion, you are NOT checking out my best friend, are you?" The high pitched whine came back. "Cause man…that would suck ass!"

"No," his boyfriend answered airily. "I am not checking out your friend. Unless he can move the way you move in bed, or feel the way you do when I'm inside you, then no, I have no interest in him like that, whatsoever."

Demyx gaped. "Zex…uh…I've been meaning to inform you that…well he's…"

"I'm a little homophobic…" Silence. "Or I used to be. I don't care anymore. But incase Demyx needs reassurance," he glared at the blonde. "I'm straight, so I have no interest in you Zexion."

"Glad to have that established."

Nothing more was said as Zexion, eventually, scooted his play toy, AKA Demyx, to the bedroom for the night. There had been protests and annoyed shouts but all fell silent within minutes after the door had been slammed. How that had occurred, the young man on the couch had no inclination to know. Instead, he simply set his head on the pillow as the moonlight filtered into the open window, a cool breeze ruffling his unruly hair. The TV screen blared in the background even though the sound was off; within mere seconds he had fallen asleep, neither his mind nor his body protesting the welcome healing gesture. Like he'd always say: It was all just bad memories, nothing more.

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_(Well, it's no longer a oneshot. But hey, what can I say...it's just in the starting phases so...it'll come along. Please R&R if ya liked it...or if you hated it. Whichever. Thanks so much! Love you all, even if you don't review! And if the comments on Homosexuality bothered you, let me know. Or...go to the top and read the authors note. It explains it all.) _

_SadisticKunais _


	3. Salutations

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. I have nothing to give anyone and no profit will be made from this...unless reviews are considered profit...er...anywayz...yeah, enjoy!_

**A/N: Ok, I think I have an idea of where this will be going but I guess there isn't too much to say just yet. Read and Review, flame, whatever. I take all at this point. Hahaha. There is still Boy Love, Yaoi, M/M relationships; I don't think i can make it any clearer. That is all folks. Please enjoy.**

**Word coding:** ' Thoughts' , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks_

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**Salutations**

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"Did you get the supplies?"

She looked up lazily from her reading. "Did you?"

"Why do you always have to be a smartass?" Came the response from the red-head standing in the bleak doorway, hand on his hip. "But yeah, I did, for your information."

She nodded. "Good, then. Now you can just tell Roxas that he needs to find the rest of the parts and we can complete our plan."

He raised a delicate, finely shaped brow. "And what plan is that? Since when do you even scheme? That's Zexion's trademark, isn't it?"

Once again she nodded, this time bringing her gaze up towards him, lazily watching as he walked further into the room. "What's your point, jerk-off? People change. Isn't that what you're always telling me?"

"I don't think we're on the same page…" he trailed as another figure bounded into the room. He immediately grabbed the smaller, shorter figure, taking it into his arms possessively until it whined loudly and persistently. "Shut up. I'm hugging you, and you know you want to stay here."

"Yes, quite the display of affection—how gross," she snapped irritably. "Now take it somewhere else before I die of disgust, thanks." She returned to her reading of her beloved book, The Marquis de Sade, as the red-head gave her a death glare, dragging his counterpart into a different, more secluded part of the house. Once gone, she relished in the silence it gave as she leaned back against the hard, stucco-like surface of the wall. The places where dap was still in need happened to be the only places where she could lean back. Annoyed, she fluffed her pillow and tried to block the crud from sticking to her ebony night shirt. The silence was short-lived, however, when a cry filled the air, one she would have preferred never to hear, and made her cringe. '_I do NOT want to hear that EVER again!_' Grabbing her headphones from the bedside, she shoved them forcefully on her ears in order to block out the rising noise. '_Geez…some people have no courtesy whatsoever_.' Nevertheless, she went back to reading her book, trying desperately to become engrossed in the pages like when she was younger.

Outside the calm breeze swept through, not entirely cool or hot but with a distinct humidity to it that made her skin crawl, which is why she stayed inside so much. The sun was not high in the sky but it wasn't quite close to setting just yet either, shading the sky with soft yellows, oranges and pale blues that made her long for the outside. '_Not enough though_,' she thought as she yawned, staring through the opened curtains. Only during the daytime did she leave them ajar, and only if she was not standing there in plain view. Unlike her housemates, who were busily "pleasing" themselves in another room, she tended to stay inside most of the time, only visiting the peaceful but somehow bustling crowded town when it was nighttime. This was mainly so that she could retrieve food and living supplies; she only went to one place and they knew her well there—they didn't seem to mind her at all. And on certain nights, when she was feeling friskier, she would wander about the streets with her companions, who ignored her when around each other—relationships, blah—and scope out the new stores that popped up from time to time. Or she would just walk around with them, reminiscing about the past or about family or about a lot of different things.

The peace reigned for a moment more before the noise level rose and penetrated the silent shield created by the headphones and music filtering through them, ticking her off. '_THAT DOES IT!_' Growling in frustration, she tossed the wired objects to the corner before stomping her way to the room adjacent to the entrance, throwing the door open in a furious rage. She promptly ignored the position that Axel and Roxas were in—Axel towering over Roxas, who was pinned against the wall, legs wrapped around Axel's waist where his pants were undone and hanging off, slightly—as she glared, daggers in her eyes. She fumed angrily as she pointed an accusatory figure at her companions. "Can you TRY to keep your shit under wraps, at least for a few minutes? I don't care who you fuck, where you fuck or how you fuck—fuck all you want! But dammit…can't you at least let me fall asleep first before you fuck Roxas senseless? He is so damn loud! So either you get me thicker headphones, a pair of earmuffs or you gag him every time you guys want to fuck each other into oblivion!"

Axel blinked before actually registering that she was standing in the doorway. "Uh…could you close the door?" Roxas squeaked, hiding his face in Axel's shoulder as he turned about six different shades of red. She simply rolled her eyes before slamming the door. He chuckled as he turned back to his lover who was still hiding. "Now…where were we Roxie?" Roxas pouted as Axel claimed his lips again, this time muffling the moans leaving his mouth. '_There…that should make her happy…for now_.'

Meanwhile, she rubbed her temples as she walked back to her room, settling herself on the bed and grabbing her book again. '_Is there even a point?_' The day had started off brilliantly; they were going to trick Demyx, with Zexion's help, into spending the night so that they could tie him up and play dress up—Axel's idea of course. Larxene didn't resist the suggestion but with her friends taking care of certain "needs" in the rooms over, she found that her interest in the plan had waned; and her book was forgotten. She stood up, stretched and walked to the window. She was feeling slightly sadistic at the moment, and so took a look outside only to see a thin, young blonde girl walking towards the house. A sigh threatened to escape her lips as she took the stairs to the entrance, wondering how she was going to deal with the girl this time around. Her temples were throbbing as she waited by the gate.

"Larxene," came a timid voice. "Are you here?"

The older female of the two stepped forward, her arms opening as the smaller girl darted into them, tears falling down her pale cheeks. Larxene gave a half-hearted smile as she smoothed out the younger girl's hair. "Namine." If there was anyone she truly cared about in the world, it was her little sister. True, she'd been labeled as a heartless bitch countless times, which she knew was partially true; she was pretty sadistic, cold and generally indifferent—nothing would change that. However, Namine was her sister, her little sister, and she held a soft place in her heart that only a few of her close friends knew of. She patted the younger girl's head as sniffles were heard. "It's ok Namine, it'll be all right."

"No, it's not ok," Namine replied, wiping her tears futilely since more kept fallings. "Dad is horrible…I miss you! Please, please come back!"

"You know I can't do that," Larxene replied stonily at the thought. Namine took no offense to her tone. "Listen," she glanced back at the house. "When you turn 18 in a few months, then you can come live with me by your own choice. I know it's not much, but it's what mom left us."

"I don't care what the house looks like. I just want to get out already!" Namine burst into tears all over again as she hugged Larxene's waist, crying over and over again. "I hate it there! I hate him! He's not even our real father!" She was still crying when Roxas and Axel came into view, Roxas' face brightening at the sight of his playmate. Namine would have kept crying had she not heard him call her name. Immediately she let go of the older girl and grinned through her tear-filled face. "Hi Roxas, Axel! I didn't know you two were here!"

Once they'd finished exchanging greetings and had started talking to each other, Axel walked over to where Larxene was leaning against the gate's metal bars. "So," he started conversationally, "how is she doing?"

"It'll be so much better when she can live here," Larxene answered, rubbing her temples. "But at least…Roxas makes her happy."

"Makes all happy." Axel nodded, the tattoos under his eyes shimmering in the setting sun; Larxene ignored the implications of his comment. "Say, is Demyx still coming over?"

Larxene stiffened. "Uh…isn't it YOUR job to find that out?"

"No," he retorted as he started to walk away. He would've made it far had Larxene not grabbed one of the spikes sticking obnoxiously out on the back of his head. "Hey, you sadistic bitch! Let go of my hair!"

"Not until you do your part of the job, flame boy!" She shouted back, tugging at his red mane. Axel yelped when she pulled his hair and suddenly poked his back with the sharp little knives she carried in her coat sleeves. "Just do it before I let Namine sleepover! You know you won't be getting any if she does stay here!"

Axel paled. "You wouldn't!"

She smirked evilly. "Like hell I won't! Do it, fire starter!"

Huffing, he marched away once she'd released her hold, disappearing into the house. Moments later Roxas and Namine were pointing to the sky and giggling together, loudly. She watched the scene with a sense of serenity that hadn't filled her in ages. The sky had now turned a slighter darker shade of blue, signaling that the sun was about to set, and that it was time they headed inside. Whistling to the two teenagers jumping madly about the ground, she pointed to the house and mouthed one word. "Inside." Namine and Roxas nodded and ran inside the dilapidated house, content to be with each other. Namine was more than glad that she didn't have to go home; Larxene was sure the younger girl had made and excuse of some sort to present to their "father" while she was away. 'Well, she has some cunning, though she doesn't always use it.' Once inside the warmth of the house she saw Axel teasing the two by dangling a box of cookies over their heads. Roxas was pouting and Namine was huffing as they both tried to grab the box, which was entirely too far out of their reach. Snorting, Larxene walked by, deftly grabbing the box from Axel's waving hand and proceeded to stuff them into her own mouth.

"You're such a sadistic bitch," Axel growled as Roxas stared in surprise.

Namine simply shook her head. "That's my sister for you."

"Yes, I've been meaning to ask you about that," Axel said as he leaned over until he was eye level with Namine. "How exactly did you live with THAT thing for so many years?"

Roxas blanched when Larxene walked up and tossed a cookie at the red-head. "Shut it, Ax. You're grating on my nerves."

"And you're pissing me off ant-head!" Axel shouted back, smirking.

"Oh yeah? Say that to my face prissy boy!" She yelled back, the cookies forgotten as she reached for her little knives.

Axel popped out his lighter and can of hairspray that he kept in order to burn things fast, and properly. "You bet I will, you lightning bug! C'mere so I can char your antennae!"

"That's it, Flame boy! You're so dead!" She snarled as she lunged at him. Axel caught her midway, reversing the roles so she was knocked backwards. He straddled her and waved the lighter in her face as she tried to stab him with her little kunai. He almost laughed at his success when she managed to put a nice rip right through the right sleeve of his favorite black coat. Roaring, Axel shoved her back into the wood flooring, pinning her hands above her head with his right hand. With the other he flipped open the lid of the hairspray and sprayed her hair, generously. With that done, he reached for the lighter, popped the lid open and held the bright, orange-red flame to the long strands of hair he'd mentioned before. She let out an indignant huff as she settled down—a little, so as not to get her hair burned. "You are such an asshole, you red-haired alien freak!"

"I win," he answered, smiling madly.

"Like hell you do, jerk face!" She lifted her legs, bringing her knees up so hard that they knocked his back and sent him flying over her head. Scrambling to her feet as quickly as possible, he barely had time to recover before she had pounced him from behind, her knives pinning him to the floor, face first, by his coat sleeves. She dug the heel of her boot into his back, until he yet out a yelp. She heard him let out a string of obscenities soon after, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, menacingly. "Uh-uh, my dear, flame child…I WIN."

"Bitch."

"Whore."

"I hate you."

"I hate you, too."

Roxas shook his head. "Hey Namine, want to go play "who's the better killer?" She made a face to which Roxas could only shake his head again. "Ok, fine, no violent games. How about…we just go get some food?"

"Great, I'm starving!" She smiled as they went to the refrigerator while Axel and Larxene continued to argue like a married couple. "You know what?" Roxas blinked at her, awaiting her response. "If I didn't know you and Axel were together already, I'd say those two wanted each other." Roxas chortled at the scene as they looked again. Axel had somehow managed to free himself and was trying to corner Larxene; he failed when she pushed him up against the small table in the middle of the room. "Hm…but I don't know what I'd do if Axel was going out with her. I think everything in this house would've burned down already. Or if my sister could've, she would've trapped electricity in a jar and fried him with that."

"Or stabbed him with her knives," Roxas offered as he munched on the now available cookies. He was about to take her to his room when he heard a door slam from somewhere in the lower parts of the old mansion. He looked back to Axel and Larxene who had paused mid-battle at the noise; Namine had stopped eating her cookie and was looking around as well. "Um…hey Axel, Larxene…do you think Demyx decided to come after all?"

Larxene opened her mouth to cuss out Axel when a resounding shout was heard around the hollow, echoing mansion walls. "HEY! AXEL, LARXENE, WE'RE HERE FOR THE SLEEPOVER!" When they didn't answer they heard him shout again. "ARE YOU GUYS EVEN HERE?"

Roxas was the first to come to his senses as Larxene raised a knife in Axel's direction, hissing something unintelligible while Axel backed away. "Demyx, we're up here, in the kitchen by the den."

"Great, we're coming up." His footsteps echoed around the house as he asked them random questions from whichever direction he was coming. "Hey, are there enough beds?"

Larxene paused as Axel put his lighter away, signaling that they were through—for the moment. "Course we do, you idiot. Why wouldn't we? You two sleepover all the time—it's just you two, isn't it?" Silence. "Demyx?"

"Uh…well…you see…"

Larxene had pretty much had it. Putting her knives away she stomped forward until she was in the doorway, a figure to be reckoned with from where Demyx was ascending the staircase. "You bastard! You know how I feel about you bringing random fucking people here, especially since our happy little ass always forgets to let me know in advance! That's why I live here, because it's away from that place and those people!"

Demyx raised his hands in defense as Zexion pushed past her to go see what there was to eat, leaving the musician to fend for himself. Demyx had passed her as well, though she was following him behind his back. "Listen, if you'd let me explain, then maybe—"

"Explain? What's there to explain? It's my house you idiot!" She fumed.

Zexion had already started looking in the cabinets for something to eat while Namine and Roxas kept talking, Axel quietly hugging Roxas the entire time. As for Larxene and Demyx, they were so engrossed in their argument that Demyx almost forgot what he was trying to say. Larxene raised a fist to pound Demyx into the ground when he smiled happily and waved. Taken aback, she gave him a puzzled look. "Hiya Mar! Glad you didn't get lost here! Larx's house is kinda big…and falling apart…" A glare. "But it's great for sleepovers and parties, like today's!"

Larxene dropped her fist as she turned around, mentally preparing herself to cuss out this person Demyx had brought. She whipped around, face set in an angry frown and light blue eyes met Sapphire. She took a step back as the man standing in the doorway gave her a passive look, his brown hair contrasting nicely with the wall behind him. He blinked and she found herself stumbling for words. When he said nothing, she turned away as she tried to regain her composure though her cheeks wanted to show fire. "Who is this, Demyx?"

"Marluxia, come here!" The man walked forward until he was standing beside the hyper-active blonde. "Larxene, this is Marluxia. Mar, this is Larxene, the woman of the house. Those people over there are Axel, Namine and Roxas."

"Are you two dating?"

Larxene blanched as Marluxia pointed from her to Axel. '_Who does he think he is asking questions like that?_' She was furious beyond all measure and was about to answer him with a snappy comment when Axel cut in, waltzing over and being the biggest flirt ever. "Hey there, tall and handsome. The name is Axel, got it memorized?" Marluxia nodded. "And no, we're not together so if you're available..."

"Hey, you asshole! You and Larxene may not be dating but we sure as hell are!" Roxas quipped as he jumped Axel, hugging him fiercely and somewhat possessively. Marluxia nodded, stepping away a bit as Roxas smiled happily. "Hi! I'm Roxas! Don't mind Axel, he's the biggest flirt in town."

"Yeah, but I'm your flirt," Axel replied, pinching Roxas' nose.

"Nice to meet you," The brown haired man greeted, shaking Roxas' outstretched hand.

"Hi…I'm Namine," the young girl smiled as she shook his hand as well, though she seemed rather timid; she was still polite. "It's very nice to meet you Marluxia. Do you live here or are you visiting?"

"Um…just visiting. I'm a friend of Demyx's." Marluxia leaned down until he was on his knees, ruffling Namine's hair, granting her a grin as she giggled shyly. "Something tells me that I'm going to really like you."

"You sound like a pedophile," Demyx remarked as Zexion reached for him. "Hey, not right now!"

"That's my little sister you're talking to, you damn pervert!" Larxene shouted as she pushed Namine out of the way, glaring daggers at Marluxia. The man being accused slowly stood up to his full height, towering over Larxene as he looked down at her, impassively. She continued to glare up at him until his lips formed into a smirk. Suddenly annoyed, she turned away, abruptly, cursing him under her breath as she stomped away towards the hall. Once she'd reached the doorway she whipped around and gave him a sadistic smirk. "By the way, the name is Larxene. Don't piss me off. You'd do well to remember that."

As soon as she'd vanished, Namine sighed. "Um…you'll have to forgive her…she's just…"

"I understand," Marluxia replied, smirk growing ever wider. Demyx, Zexion, Axel and Roxas stared at Marluxia like he was nuts before he motioned to the TV. "So, you guys had some grand sleepover planned?"

Axel nodded as he pointed towards their supplies, which consisted mainly of junk food and various types of alcohol. "Yeah, a grand fuckin party!" His hands sought out Roxas, snagging the blonde by his hair as he swept him into a playful, sensual kiss before darting after Larxene. "Be right back! I'm gonna go retrieve the hostess!"

"She'll be fine," Demyx reassured as Marluxia stared after the fleeing young man. "Larx is always like this when it comes to sleepovers. She gets uncomfortable about…people she's not used to; you shoulda seen her when she met Zex! I mean…you…uh…"

Marluxia nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Stop blabbering Demyx, it makes you sound stupid." He moved to sit down on the couch just as Larxene walked in and sat where he was going to. She glared up at him, daring him to ask her to move; he simply shook his head again and sat opposite her as everyone else took their seats as well. "What are we watching?"

"Silent Hill?" Zexion asked as he held up the box closest to the DVD player. "Hm…a horror flick…I see. Who picked this?"

"I did," Axel said. "I wanna see some people get thrashed!"

Namine shuddered. "I don't like horror films…"

"Too bad," Larxene snapped; one again, Namine took no offense as she latched onto Roxas' other sleeve that wasn't occupied by Axel's grip. As for herself, Larxene scooted away as Zexion pulled Demyx into his lap. She made a disgruntled noise when she realized there was no more room on the couch—it was getting cramped. Sighing, she stood up and sat on the floor, desperately wanting to push someone off. She looked up at Axel, who was busily trailing small kisses down the side of Roxas' face while Namine poked his cheek. When Namine and Axel got together, tormenting Roxas was their favorite hobby. The spiky haired blonde looked redder than his boyfriend's hair, and Larxene had to suppress an amused laugh as she returned her gaze towards the TV.

And he was staring at her, though she had no clue as to why. His sapphire eyes were only half-open but he appeared to be thinking; so maybe he wasn't staring at her? She ignored him as she returned her attention to the screen just as the opening credits began to roll. Demyx and Axel had already started drinking the bottle of Bacardi 151 while Roxas took sips from his cup of Bacardi gold. '_Talk about alcoholics…_' She was returning her attention, once again, to the TV screen when she saw Namine sipping something. Normally, she didn't care that everyone around her drank but she wasn't fond of them corrupting her little sister. Nothing was said as she snatched the cup from Namine and tossed it out the window, giving her sister a look that said no. Marluxia looked up at this in time for the Larxene to leave his view and Namine to pounce him as Axel and Roxas started making out on the couch; so maybe she wasn't as shy as he originally surmised. He caught the young girl in his arms as a sudden scream pierced the air, shocking her as she buried her face in his coat sleeve. Demyx raised a brow at this but his attention was pulled away when Zexion whispered something in his ear. Larxene, it seemed, had been gone for at least 20 minutes because Axel had all but dragged a very willing Roxas behind the couch for more entertaining activities. Marluxia tried to block out the noises of the two young men who were, not very successfully, trying to remain inconspicuous about their sexual endeavors.

Demyx was watching the TV again while Zexion took a drink from a flask that he was sure contained some type of brandy or whiskey. It didn't seem to fit Zexion's personality, but then again, Marluxia didn't know too much about him. '_At least they're not making out like the other two.'_ His thoughts were interrupted when Namine clutched at his arm in fear, watching from behind her fingers as the monster known as Pyramid Head ripped the skin off some woman. Marluxia would've cringed in blatant disgust had he not heard a gasp from the doorway. Four heads looked over to see Larxene, fist shaking furiously as she pointed an accusatory finger at the brown haired man. He didn't understand why she was so pissed off until he remembered the young woman in his arms, and Larxene's earlier disapproval of his talking to Namine. He was about to speak when Larxene marched over, snatched Namine up by her arms—Namine yelped in pain—and fled the room in a flurry of anger. "Stop touching my sister you pedophile!"

Stunned, Marluxia looked over to Demyx and Zexion who were shaking their heads. Axel and Roxas had yet to come up for air. The young man slowly fell back onto the bean bag chair he'd been occupying, rubbing his forehead. Whether it was in annoyance, frustration of humor, no one really knew. "Fuck me…"

"Damn…I haven't seen Larx that pissed off since…" Demyx trailed off, trying to remember an instance. "Well…"

"Not since I fried a piece of her hair," Axel supplied, reappearing from behind the couch, readjusting the strap of his wife-beater and looking around for his coat. All fell silent as they stared at the red-head; but moments later they heard Roxas panting as he tried to catch his breath. Axel smirked while looking down next to him at the young blonde, though no one else could see. "Wore you out already, did I?"

Roxas let out an indifferent huff. "No, don't get a big head."

Then there was a thundering of footsteps as they heard someone running, Larxene shouting and glass shattering. Demyx looked up from his cup of Bacardi 151 to give the hallway a curious stare. Zexion kept sipping from his flask, glancing every now and then from the forgotten movie to his boyfriend while Axel and Roxas shrugged their shoulders. Marluxia didn't know what to do. He was saved, however, when Namine came running back into the living room—not necessarily smiling or frowning—to sit down in the spot next to Marluxia. He gave her a curious stare when she smiled up at him; more shattering glass could be heard from the end of the empty hallway. Namine shook her head as Demyx and Zexion started making out as Axel and Roxas resumed their positions of sitting on the couch, alcohol bottles in hand, both singing some odd tune, merrily.

"Don't worry Marluxia. She's venting. She does this…a lot." With that said, Namine went back to the movie.

Marluxia shrugged and resumed watching too, the pair ignoring their friends' rabid make-out session until it got so bad that Marluxia sent them to another room. Once gone, it left Namine and Marluxia there, on the couch, by themselves. Namine was quite pleased because, even though Roxas was her best friend and she liked to torture him, hearing him and Axel making out was not her idea of riveting company. As for Demyx and Zexion, well, Demyx was so drunk that he practically begged Zexion to take him to bed because he was tired. Marluxia had shaken his head at that comment. '_Yeah_ _right…you pull that one all the time Demyx, you kinky bastard_.' Sighing, he finally settled down next to Namine on the battered couch, a bowl of popcorn and a cup of soda in his hands. Of course, his had some Vodka in it as well; but Namine's was soda-only. Larxene had yet to reappear in the den, having not resurfaced from her raging venting session in her room. At least the noise level had dimmed and they could actually pay attention to the movie.

At the scary parts Namine would latch onto his arm; and although he didn't usually like people too close to him, he allowed this. For some reason he liked this girl—she was too sweet. When the movie had ended, Marluxia was about to stand and bid the younger girl goodnight but realized she had fallen asleep against him. Sighing—he'd been doing that a lot lately—he allowed her to stay there as he shut the TV off with the remote and turned his gaze to the window. The silence was deafening, only interrupted by Namine's steady breathing that could be heard in steady intervals. Marluxia was staring at the moon, somehow feeling more peaceful as the girl snuggled against his chest, breathing in the scent of his coat. Normally, all signs would point that he should run, flee from the scene of what could become a potential crime; but when she muttered something, he could only let out a small smile.

"Riku…why…?" At this, she gripped the zipper of his coat as a tear slipped from her eye.

He wiped it away as he smoothed her hair, whispering soothing words into her ears even though he was sure she couldn't even hear him; something about her reminded him of a memory he'd tried to forget. "Don't worry Namine." When her breathing evened out completely and she muttered nothing further, Marluxia felt comfortable enough to go to sleep. As he laid his head back on couch arm, he felt Namine snuggles closer, spooning herself against his chest. Too tired to push her away and not wanting to seem cold, he just stared at her for a few seconds. '_This is my home now…this is…my…home…_' Sleep came at last.

In her room, Larxene stared at a frame of shattered glass that littered her once clean floorboards. Things had just changed again.

_Home…just a bunch of useless, bad memories._

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_(Okie, well, there is chapter 3. it might be progressing a little slowly; sorry if that bothers everyone. But hey, I gotta have the plot makes sense...and sometimes well, that takes time. Tell me what y'all think. Please R&R, flame, whatever. Peace out for now all.)_

**_Sadistickunais_**


	4. Bitterness

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. I have nothing to give anyone and no profit will be made from this...unless reviews are considered profit...er...anywayz...yeah, enjoy!_

**A/N: Yay! I think I have a good plot now—maybe a bit cliché, but it's fun to write, so that's why I'm doing it! All right, well, this is going to be a dark fic w/some humor, if I can fit it in. However, it has mature themes to it; not just yet but they will become present so be careful if you're reading it. It is inappropriate for the kiddies and well…immature people in general. I'm warning y'll ahead of time. Well, please read and Review, flame, whatever. I take all, though flames will be used as fuel—constructive criticism is more than welcome. There is still Boy Love, Yaoi, M/M relationships; I don't think I can make it any clearer. Btw, there is stuff in here about transgenders as well, so please don't take offense. I work for an agency that deals with that, so believe me, I'm not being tasteless—it fits into the personalities of the characters in order to make them slightly more realistic. But if you want to scream at me, go ahead. Send me a private email and cuss me out. That is all folks. Please enjoy. Sorry it took so long. . **

**Word coding:** ' Thoughts' , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff

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_

**Animosity

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Morning sunlight was usually what woke Marluxia up when he was in such a deep sleep; but a nice kink in his neck is what interrupted his "peaceful" slumber in the morning hours. That and someone shouting at the top of his or her lungs. Craning his neck to the right, he managed to catch a glimpse of Axel running around with what looked like a box of cookies, and after that, Roxas, with a frying pan. Demyx and Zexion were seated at the table sipping their drinks with mild interest, Demyx holding his head in what appeared to be pain while Zexion kept drinking. It was likely, Marluxia figured, that Demyx had a massive hangover and Axel didn't have one at all. Roxas was still running around the house like a madman when Namine finally emerged from her sleep, stretching and yawning like a cat as she sat up, the pressure of her small hands bringing Marluxia back from his previous staring. She gave him a small smile as she watched the scene as well, not moving from her position at all. Marluxia was about to ask her if she could when Larxene walked in, her face wan and her eyes slightly puffy. He tried to figure out if it was from lack of sleep or crying, but the lack of redness pointed to the latter being truer.

She had made it to the coffeepot with relative ease until Roxas ran straight into her back, knocking her forward onto the pot and spilling hot, steaming coffee all over the counter, as well as dropping the frying pan on her foot. She let out a yelp as some of the coffee leaked onto her uncovered hands, burning them and causing her to lash out at the closest person who happened to be Demyx. He cringed as her yelling penetrated his hand-shield, falling back into his chair at the table, whining like an injured child. Finally coming to her senses, Larxene shook her head and went towards the couch where she was hoping to fall down and pass out again. But when she turned the small corner of the couch arm, she let out a furious growl at the picture before her. Namine gave her a nervous wave as Marluxia did nothing, knowing he'd been caught again and was ready for the accusation.

"What is this? Can you not keep your dirty, pedophile hands off my sister?" Larxene snapped as she grabbed for Namine again. This time the girl jumped up and ran before her sister got her in a death grip—Larxene's nails were a force to be reckoned with when she did not have her kunai. Shaking her head in anger, she turned her wrath to the brown-haired man still lying on the couch with indifferent eyes. "Just what is going on? I let you sleepover for the night, mainly because Demyx is your friend, and you keep feeling up my sister! Man, are you that fucking perverted?"

He sighed, letting his head fall back on the couch arm. "What do you want me to say? Yes, it's true, or the truth, which is no, I'm not feeling up your sister?"

She felt her left eye twitch. "Excuse me?"

He finally brought his gaze back to her, his sapphire eyes piercing hers with the first real emotions she'd seen since his arrival the day before; annoyance and irritation. "Listen, why don't you let me explain before you turn into a high and mighty bitch that starts accusing me of trying to molest her sister?"

That surprised her out of her wits, and Larxene couldn't think of a proper comeback. Instead, she lunged forwards, her kunai drawn as she decided to just give him a piece of her mind. However, she was pulled back by two pairs of arms. Axel and Zexion held her at bay as she snarled at the man on the couch who was now sitting up, but his facial expression had yet to change. The blonde woman fought against her restrainers, trying desperately to get within even an inch more of Marluxia's space, her knives still drawn. When she realized her effort was completely futile, she settled down enough for Axel to hold her on his own as Zexion roused Demyx to talk to his friend. At the table, Larxene huffed, her arms still held by Axel as he conversed with Roxas about where the Dopamine sedatives were stored. She glared at them both as Namine re-entered the kitchen area, her steps timid and uncertain as she approached the counter where Roxas had laid out the cookies as well as other various junk foods.

By the couch, Demyx was trying to tell Marluxia what he'd gotten himself into with the woman who was hosting their sleepover. But instead of listening, Marluxia was staring out the window at the bright sunlight that shone with the promise of a beautiful day; he loved the sun and everything it offered to nature. Demyx, whose headache was starting to increase, didn't bother to regain his friend's attention as the chestnut haired youth strolled over to the large window and drew the curtain open to its full length. At this there was a resounding gasp as Marluxia turned around, just in time to catch a blonde blur shoot past him and close the curtains. All was silent save for the quick breaths coming from near the closed window. Marluxia looked up to see Larxene standing there, the curtain cord in her hands as she tried to catch her breath. Axel, who'd been holding her, was just as stunned. Demyx was in too much pain to care while Zexion simply stared. Roxas and Namine had stopped eating their cookies.

"Um…"

Larxene's eyes widened at her own display before getting angry. "You...don't you EVER open the curtains like that again, or I really will mar that pretty face of yours!" With that said, she fled the room, snatching up her book on the way. Moments later, a door slammed.

Almost all the occupants in the room blinked except for Namine, who merely gave them all a small, saddened smile. "What can I say? Larxene is sensitive about her privacy."

"Bullshit," Marluxia said, curious, as he stared from the spot Larxene had been occupying to the spot in which she'd disappeared. "What's going on?"

Namine let out a sigh as Roxas, Axel, Demyx and Zexion all looked around the room as if they hadn't heard him speak. '_I_ _guess it's my turn to explain everything,_' she thought as she took a seat next to Marluxia. "Well…my sister…she's not exactly…she has…problems."

"We all do," he replied, not buying her vague explanation. "I have my own. But this is serious, isn't it?"

Namine cowered, slightly, under his hard, intense stare. He was intimidating when he was actually looking at someone, she realized, as she scooted away a bit to curl up next to Roxas who had seated himself next to her for comfort. "I…I'm not supposed to divulge that information to anyone…"

"Let it go Mar," Demyx said as he shook his head feeling his headache coming back.

Roxas wrapped his arms around his friend, giving Marluxia a warning look. "Look, you're cool and all…but there are just some things that you shouldn't…you AREN'T allowed to know."

"Didja get all that?" Axel interrupted, tapping his left temple as he watched Marluxia scowl. "It's just the way things are, got it?"

"I don't accept that," Marluxia countered, annoyed.

"It's none of your damn business," a voice hissed from the doorway. Larxene gave him a bitter look as she spun on her heels, departing again but this time with a coffee cup. He hadn't seen her come in, and she was even angrier when hearing the subject they were discussing. '_It's none of his business…NONE!_'

Marluxia stared, once again, at the doorway where the blonde had vanished through, his sapphire eyes unreadable. Standing abruptly, he made his way towards the entrance of the old mansion, not waiting for Demyx or Zexion. "Well, thank you all for the hospitality. But it seems I have many things to do. Goodbye."

He waved, briefly, to the group before disappearing through the doorway. They heard his footsteps descend the staircase and then the slam of a door as he exited. Demyx gaped as he watched his friend through the slightly open window, wondering where the brown haired man was off to. Marluxia didn't exactly know where anything was in the town since he'd just arrived the day before. Zexion rubbed comforting circles on his boyfriend's back as Demyx let out a long groan of frustration and pain. Axel and Roxas had begun to comfort Namine, who had started to cry as though she'd done something terribly wrong. Larxene had reappeared, standing by the couch as she watched everything in the room with a pensive gaze. She seemed quieter than usual as she sipped from her coffee cup, resolute and silent as she leaned against the couch's back, eyes unfocused as she listened to her sister's sobs. Zexion shook his head as he dragged Demyx towards the stairs, mumbling out a low "goodbye" to their friends as he went in search of Marluxia. Once they'd gone, Roxas stood up and went to the kitchen to get the box of tissues that were kept on the counter, for Namine's tears. Axel was still smoothing her hair comfortingly, taking the idea from when he would comfort Roxas, in order to calm her before Larxene decided to rip off her fragile head.

The assault never came as Larxene just shoved her over before taking a seat on the cushions, her gaze still unfocused and far away. By the time she'd awakened, Roxas had returned with the tissues and was giving them to Namine before he disappeared down the hallway, most likely to his room. Axel watched, lazily, as his lover left the room, only vaguely registering how tired the younger boy looked—Roxas seemed slightly annoyed, too. Sighing, the red head went back to soothing the crying blonde in his arms as Larxene pretended not to hear, or at least she was doing a good job of that. He knew Larxene cared for her little sister but sometimes the older woman had something of a mean streak that would come out at the most inopportune moments; it bothered Axel at times. Sure, they were all pretty damned callous, with the exception of Demyx and Namine. But even they had their limits, though it seemed that, in certain instances, Larxene had no limit. '_No wonder Marluxia was wondering about her…she's a bit schitzo, I gotta admit._' He shook his head as Namine began to calm down, her sobbing turning to sniffles before she eventually fell asleep completely.

Not very many people knew about Larxene's past, save for a few vague details here and there, which Namine had provided oh so generously. But even then, Namine was pretty damned silent about it, keeping the secrets of their past lives and distracting anyone who dared ask about it. However, Marluxia didn't seem to fall for the ploy; Axel rubbed his chin, thoughtful. '_Hm…he's the first to ever question her…it's been a while, since Roxas and I, really._' They had been the last pair of people to question Larxene about her life before moving into the abandoned mansion, which was rightfully hers; it was also where Axel and Roxas, who were runaways at the time, were staying in order to stay hidden. They'd briefly met Demyx in the marketplace one day while shopping with their friend, Zexion, and so Demyx and Zexion came about. That had been two years ago. New people never really came into town so seeing Demyx and Zexion when they'd first arrived was a surprise, with the exception that Roxas appeared to have known Zexion previously. Axel had been slightly jealous at first but soon overcame this when he realized that Roxas had eyes only for him, as corny as it sounded. Sighing again, he leaned back on the couch as Namine continued to sleep, her head against his shoulder while Larxene kept sipping her coffee, seemingly in a daze.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging in the distance. Larxene shot up faster than Axel had ever seen before as Namine awakened and Axel sat upright. Larxene looked angry and Namine looked terrified. Rubbing her temples, Larxene grabbed Namine by the hand, dragging her somewhat groggy form down the stairs and to the door. Once they'd reached it, Larxene and Namine stood to the side while Axel opened the crumbling wood surface, peering at the person on the other side. "Hey, can I help you sir?"

"Yeah, you seen this girl?"

Axel looked at the photo of a smiling Namine and shook his head. "Nope, sir, can't say that I have."

"Yeah well…thanks so much miss." The man suddenly stopped. "Hey, this is private property! You shouldn't be here! I'm gonna—"

Axel rolled his eyes. "You're welcome." He slammed the door as hard as he could without taking it off its hinges. Once he was sure the man had left, he turned to the pair hiding behind the edge of the staircase. "All's clear. You can come out now."

Larxene released another annoyed sigh as Namine leaned against her, tired. "Geez…how many times am I going to have to have these people turned away before they get that I'm not turning Namine into CPS? Lord…it's not like she doesn't have a guardian…" She trailed off at the mention of it as Namine looked away, biting her lip furiously. "Um…" she abruptly started stomping her way up the stairs. "I'm going to take another nap." She turned to Namine for a moment before glaring at the younger girl. "Namine…" she glanced away. "Go home." With that said she disappeared up the stairs and slammed her own door.

"I guess…I'll see you…whenever I can again, right, Axel?" Namine's eyes were watering as she stepped to the door, hand gripping the knob as the red-haired man stared at her, silently. "Thanks for comforting me. I had…a really great time. Tell…Roxas for me?" Axel nodded quietly as she suddenly jumped at him, hugging him tightly before stepping back and closing the door. "Goodbye."

The young man could only stare after her, amazed at how saddened she appeared to be, at everything. He felt anger overtake him at the blonde woman on the floor above him. Punching his fist into the nearest wall, he stomped his way up the wooden stairs and up to Larxene's room, where he, promptly, burst through the door. He glared at her still figure, which was lying on the bed, book in her arms but cover closed—she obviously was not reading. She did not acknowledge his presence, not even after he had stomped his way in front of her, eyes ablaze in anger. "Larxene."

"Axel," she replied, blankly as she continued to just stare at her book.

"You're doing it again; you're being a bitch!" Axel fumed at her as she continued to say nothing, even when he pulled his can of hairspray out with his lighter, too. "You made her cry! You were being your bitchy, sadistic self again! Didn't you see her cry? She's your goddamned little sister! Don't you even care at all?" When Larxene continued to say nothing, he threw the can of hairspray at her, pocketing his lighter before shaking his head. She hadn't even flinched at the impact when the can hit her square in the chest. "God…grow up Larxene. Life isn't going to wait for you to figure out how to live. And Namine and the rest of us aren't going to be around forever. Someday, we're going to leave you." He smirked, though there was a tinge of sadness to it. "Don't let that slip away…like you did before."

Once he'd gone, Larxene hugged her book tightly. "Like you did before…" She whispered Axel's words in a trance, lost in memories and thoughts she'd long forgotten, or so she'd convinced herself. Everything had become strange and jumbled since Marluxia had arrived, and she decided that she had to adjust—or the worst was bound to happen.

Sighing, she placed her book back on the little box that served as her lamp desk, hoping that its weight wouldn't break the cardboard. She was putting her head down to take a nap when there was a soft knock on the door. Annoyed, she rolled over, giving the door a brief look over before turning back to the wall. Whoever it was, she figured that he would come in without her answering. She was proven correct when Roxas walked in, his footsteps heavy and pronounced as he sat down on the bed, the mattress sinking in next to her legs. She sighed. "Yes, Roxas? What is it?"

"Namine is gone," he replied, his voice low and solemn. "Is she…ever going to come live with us?"

"What do you think, twerp?" Larxene kept still as she stared at the wall, seemingly focused on something that wasn't there. "Besides…she's going to be eighteen soon. She can choose where she wants to live."

"You think she wants to live here, with us? With…you?"

Larxene felt an angry blush rise to her cheeks. It was old news to the world and everyone she knew that, even though Namine loved her sister, the younger girl was still hesitant to be around her so much. Larxene's nasty temper wasn't uncommon but Namine had known a different side of her before she moved, by herself, to the abandoned mansion in Twilight Town. Nevertheless, she always felt offended when someone mentioned anything like that; therefore, as a result of Roxas' statement, she promptly rolled over and pointed a knife to his back. Under most circumstances Roxas wouldn't have cared but today, he was tired of seeming so disconnected from his housemate. Shaking his head, he turned to her as the knife dug into his back, not really caring whether he bled or not; Larxene wasn't crazy enough to actually kill him. He just stared at her, ocean blue meeting sky blue as they communicated. Unlike Axel, Roxas didn't have to actually speak to Larxene to get his message across to her. They just seemed to have that strange understanding. Grumbling angrily, she went back to facing the wall, her eyes blazing fire as he stood up and left, the soft clicking of the door signaling he had actually departed. '_Great…just what I need…another pity party…_' Burying her face into the pillow, she shut her eyelids to prevent tears that were long overdue from spilling over.

* * *

Marluxia let out an annoyed sigh as he looked out the window of the small, quaint coffee shop. It had been a little over an hour since he'd left Larxene's and Demyx had not called him or looked for him. Or at least he was pretty sure that was the case. He hadn't really bothered to check out whether this was true or not, nor had he tried to call his friend and let him know where he was at the moment. Actually, he felt like being alone because he was caught up in his thoughts, which were focused on the incident from earlier. Namine had mentioned that Larxene had problems, but everyone did. What was she so touchy about? Leaning his head on one hand, Marluxia stared at the steam rising from his coffee cup. The blackened liquid swirled around in the ceramic, his portion of cream and sugar sitting to the side, lonely and untouched. Sure, he enjoyed being an asshole, not to mention that people often mistook him for being a pretty boy who had a strange obsession for flowers, which he did. But underneath the façade of a serene, handsome face he could be just as cruel and mean as anyone else—and he had been. '_Well…it's true_,' he thought sullenly as he thought about why he'd been kicked out in the first place. The unwanted memories permeated his silent shield, screams of pain, shouts of sadness penetrating the barrier of indifference he'd managed to erect as a result of being disowned. Cupping his hands over his ears, his closed his eyes, willing everything to just disappear. Sudden quiet reigned.

He glanced out the window again only to meet the face of a very aggravated Demyx and rather blank Zexion, both who appeared to have just arrived. He watched as they entered the cafe, Demyx still with a hangover and Zexion with nothing wrong. The blonde ordered a Venti cappuccino while Zexion just had water. Both of his new roommates stared at him, seemingly waiting for some unknown explanation as Marluxia continued to give his cup of coffee vile looks. He couldn't remember why he'd ordered the damned thing. After a few more minutes of silence Demyx finally spoke, his voice holding quite a bit of agitation.

"Listen, Mar, you can't just run off like that."

"Why not? I didn't know I needed a sitter," Marluxia fired back, irritated.

"You are unfamiliar with this town. You'd do well to be careful," Zexion stated nonchalantly before taking a leisurely sip of his cool lemon water.

Marluxia rolled his eyes, "If you insist."

"I do," Demyx answered, eyebrows knitted in frustration, which, for the singer, was rare. His carefree, happy go lucky personality was gone, for now. "I understand that you can take care of yourself—no one here doubts that—but Zexion is right. This town isn't quite as nice as you think. It seems so but there are some elements that can cause trouble. Just…tell us where you are next time?"

"Yeah, fine." The brown haired man added a bit of cream to his coffee before stirring it and taking a small sip. "It's bitter."

Zexion turned his gaze to the window just as Marluxia looked up. "Life's funny that way. A bittersweet melody of pain and pleasure. It tastes like cigarettes, poison and chocolate covered spider legs, sweet and pleasurable but bitter and deadly."

Demyx stared at his boyfriend, aghast but happy at the same time. "I think I've been inspired." Zexion remained silent as Demyx started scribbling furiously on the nearest, available paper napkin. Beside him Marluxia said nothing, his eyes focused outside once again.

'_A flower…like…a savage plant…devouring all around…beautiful but misunderstood in the plant world…in nature…you are…._' Marluxia suddenly realized what it was that he'd been searching for in his thoughts, the answer. "A Venus Flytrap."

"Man, you two are awesome! I should employ you; make you a part of the demo!" Demyx raved as he continued scribbling on the napkin, his face a mask of elation.

"I think I'd starve as a result," Marluxia retorted in annoyance. He leaned back in his chair as Zexion took another large drink of his lemon water, silent while he listened to the scratching of Demyx's pencil against the tabletop. It took him a minute before he realized what Demyx had said. "Wait, you finally got a demo?" Demyx nodded. The chestnut haired man sighed. "Wow…I have to admit, I never thought they'd give YOU a demo."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Demyx's voice had taken on its annoying, high pitched tone yet again. Zexion looked the other way, sure that an argument was about to start, one which he did not want to witness. It was a moment before the furious movements of Demyx's pen had halted. "Listen Mar, I know you had little faith in me, but that just stings."

"Demyx, you've always known that I thought you sucked," Marluxia replied, stirring his cold coffee. "Why is this sudden news to you?"

"It isn't, but don't you have any tact, or consideration?" The musician shot back, his eyes angry now. Zexion kept ignoring them as best as possible. "Have I ever been unsupportive of you?"

Marluxia shook his head in reply, closing his eyes. "No, you've always been supportive, but when have you known me to be considerate? You act like this is all so new to you, and I don't get why."

"I'll tell you why; because it's time for a change!" Demyx slammed his fists on the table, earning him Marluxia's full attention as well as the attention of Zexion and the entire café shop. "You don't get it, do you? You have to know that there IS a time to change, and maybe it's come up sooner than you anticipated! You're my best friend Marluxia but it sure as hell doesn't stop you from being one of the biggest assholes around!" With that said, Demyx threw his latte in Marluxia's face like a broken-hearted girlfriend before stomping his way out of the shop. "YOU ARE A JERK!"

Zexion gave him a small nod before leaving as well. Marluxia was able to catch a small glimpse of Demyx wiping his eyes as his silver haired boyfriend carted them off down the street, no doubt to their house. Cringing internally, the brown haired man sunk further into his chair as coffee dripped from the ends of his hair and slid down his chin. Though he wasn't one much for sulking, he had just pissed off his new roommates, best friend and said person's boyfriend. He wasn't intimidated by Zexion, not in the least; but he couldn't afford to lose his best friend, who was currently and conveniently housing his poor, disowned ass. Sighing for what seemed forever, he stood and went after them, not really wanting to apologize but figuring Demyx would accept whatever he offered, if it was near what an actual apology should resemble—but first, he needed to clean the sticky beverage off himself. When he arrived at the house he found the door locked and he had no spare keys; he felt his face flush with anger at who locked him out. Either way, he had no choice but to go somewhere else. The option was chosen for him as he snatched up the piece of paper hanging on the door, ripping the sheet straight through the tack. He practically snarled in disgust when it directed him to Larxene's house, telling him that it would set him right. In other words, Demyx needed to think about continuing to let him stay with them. '_Great,'_ Marluxia mused on his way to the abandoned mansion. '_I've only been here a day..._' His frustrated sigh was short lived as his unfocused gaze met Axel's.

The red head was standing by the gate, waiting. Marluxia made a face. "What?"

"Zexion told me you'd be coming. I came to fetch you," he said with a smirk on his lips. "Hm…so…you pissed off Demyx, did ya?"

"Not that it's any of your business…and no, he's just a priss because he's gay," Marluxia spat back.

"I'm gay too, buddy…or didja forget? I'm not a priss 'cause I'm gay—in fact, I bet I could beat your ass." Axel stated still smirking at the man before him with amusement. "Anyways, aside from your obvious homophobia and homosexual issues…what part of the house didja wanna stay in tonight?"

"Any part preferably away from you," The other man replied, his arms crossed firmly.

Axel let out a peel of laughter. "Well, lucky for you, I'm taken and I rather enjoy sleeping with my toy. But there is a special room right next to…the lady of the house."

Marluxia paused. "I do not want to stay by that witch. Next thing you know, she'll be accusing me of trying to molest HER."

"Not that you'd have a chance, flower boy," Axel answered. "She'd kill you."

The latter snorted. "Hm…is that so? I care to differ."

"Don't you mean beg?"

The brown haired man snorted. "I NEVER beg."

"Whatever. By the way, about this gay thing…are you sure YOU'RE not gay? I mean with that girlie hairstyle of yours and that pretty face, you might be mistaken for being gay…or extremely metro sexual."

Marluxia twitched. "Don't you ever shut up?" Axel shook his head. "And no, I am not gay."

"Hm…still coulda fooled me," Axel whistled in reply as they disappeared into the house as quietly as possible even though Axel was still teasing Marluxia the entire time.

When they arrived in the living room Axel proceeded to push Roxas off the couch so that their guest could situate himself. It appeared, to Marluxia, that the red-head had been too pushy in his demand as he saw the younger male gave an annoyed glare in the direction of his boyfriend as he stomped back up to their joint room. Marluxia ignored both of them as Axel took off after the blonde, glad he was finally able to lie down for the night though the choice of temporary staying quarters were anything but welcomed. He could vaguely hear the TV upstairs switch on and the volume blaring as he heard the voices of Axel and Roxas rise as well. That side of the house became rather noisy easily, according to previous information given by Demyx and Zexion. He sighed as his gaze traveled to the right side of the house where he assumed Larxene stayed; it was pretty quiet. He leaned back, deep in thought. Demyx had mentioned how Larxene kept to herself most of the time, that she liked to read and spent most of her time doing just that, locked away in her room. Suddenly, he refocused his gaze on the area that was her room, wonder striking as he drowned out the arguing coming from the left side.

Upstairs, Larxene gave an annoyed sigh as she heard Axel and Roxas argue about god knew what. She knew they did this at least once or twice a week so it wasn't unexpected; but she really didn't feel like hearing it, more than usual. Slamming her book shut, she reached for her headphones to shut out the noise blaring from the other side of the house. She figured that, if anything, she could block them out until Axel screwed his younger partner senseless—then she'd only have to deal with sexual noise. '_Oh, how I love my fuckin life_.' The window curtains in her room were closed tightly, shutting out the moonlight so she could sleep peacefully when she chose. However, unlike many other nights, she couldn't sleep. In fact, she was exhausted but her body refused to comply with her wishes to join Morpheus in the Land of Nod. Cursing her luck, she arose from her bed and went down the stairs in search of something—preferably a drug—that would induce sleep. '_Thank god for sleeping pills_.' She made it to the kitchen with relative ease until she noticed someone standing by the window, the curtain partially drawn. Immediately she was on her guard, knowing it was not any of her housemates. As patiently as she could, she walked towards the figure, trying hard not to throw her full glass of water at him.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I warn you that I'd mar that pretty face of yours if you didn't listen to what I said?" She spat as Marluxia turned to her from the window.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't listening to you," he replied airily as he went back to staring out the window.

Growling, she drew her knives and without any warning, let them fly at the brown haired man before her, angered. However, her eyes widened when she realized she'd missed—all four times. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed him holding one kunai between his two fingers, an amused grin plastered on his face. "Why you…fucking bastard…"

He let out a chuckle. "Why, Larxene…you seem frustrated. Is something the matter?"

"What the hell are you doing here, you jerk?" She asked as he began removing the knives and placing them on the coffee table. She could feel the glass cracking in her hand as she glared daggers at his back. "I thought you were staying with Demyx and Zexion."

"Well, not that it's any of your business either, as I told Axel before, I am here because I was kicked out of Demyx's house."

Larxene blinked. "Oh, so you pissed him off." Suddenly, she smirked evilly. "Well, I don't want you here either. I'm kicking you out of my house, too." Smiling darkly, she began to walk away. "The door's right there. Don't let it hit you on the ass on your way out, pretty boy." She was halfway to the stairs when she felt someone grab her from behind, twisting her arm from behind her back. She hissed. "Listen, you pretentious asshole, I will slit your fucking throat right now if you don't let me go. I don't even know you, and personally, don't care if you die. And somehow, I don't think anyone else will either."

"Are you scared, Larxene?" He whispered to her in the dark.

She felt a small blush penetrate her cheeks as his warm breath slid continuously over her ear before she replied, viciously, "Don't you wish I was, jerk!" She let out a furious hiss as she broke free, drawing more knives from within her pajamas, and threw them with deadly aim at Marluxia. He managed to catch three but the fourth stabbed his straight in the shoulder. He merely winced as the knife sliced into his skin. Larxene wasted no time in continuing her assault. Letting out another cry of anger she dashed forward, knocking him on his back where she successfully pinned him to the ground, her knives digging into his neck, drawing a faint trace of blood. Scowling angrily, she leaned over, applying a slight amount of pressure to his skin. "Stay the fuck away from me if you know what's good for you, pretty boy."

He chuckled, drawing more blood. "My name is Marluxia. You'd do well to remember it as well." Outraged, she made to press the knife fully into his neck when he suddenly threw all his body weight at her, catching her by surprise. As a result he ended up pushing her backwards, causing her to land flat on her back, knives sliding across the floor as he pinned her hands to either side of her head. He held her in place as he trapped her knees between his own, cutting off any way she had to fight back and escape. He couldn't help but smirk triumphantly as she struggled beneath his, hissing like a cat as her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. She let out what he deemed to be a defeated sigh as she stopped moving, though her pulse did not slow—she closed her eyes, her face contorted in anger. He couldn't resist. "Say you give up."

At that, her eyes flew open. "You wish."

He chuckled again. This time there was a tinge of evilness to it that sent a shiver up her spine. "If you do, I'll forget this ever happened."

"But I won't," she muttered under her breath. "Never. I don't ever give up." Instead of adhering to his wishes, Larxene stared at him, the malice in her eyes enough to kill anything in her way. She squirmed again, trying to ignore how they were positioned on the floor. Hardly ever did Larxene think about anything that could be considered remotely "romantic," nor did she give anything regarding sex a second thought. She'd never met anyone she'd been "attracted" to in such a long time that she'd brushed all thoughts of the like away into oblivion. However, she couldn't—though she would—deny the fact that the man above her was something new, he was someone unlike anyone she'd seen before in Twilight Town. '_Or maybe it's just that I've been deprived for so long…_' Mentally stabbing herself, Larxene released another low grunt before she finally brought her gaze back to Marluxia's, trying to ignore the sparkle in his sapphire eyes. "I won't give up and I sure as hell won't give in, you bastard."

"Then I guess we'll be here all night, won't you, little nymph," Marluxia countered evenly.

"What the hell did you just call me?" She asked, annoyed—somehow, she'd become quite comfortable with the weight of his hands around her wrists.

"A nymph," he replied, unfazed. "With these ridiculous wisps of hair," he motioned his head in the direction of the antennae, "you could be mistaken for one." She was about to retort when he silence her again. "But with that personality…I'd say you're more of a…savage nymph…similar to what we think is beautiful…but rather vicious."

She wanted to gape at him for the sheer blatancy of his words but pride did not permit this of her; so in turn, she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I get it, flower boy. I'm beginning to think you're gay."

"I'm not," he answered, suddenly tense.

"Prove it," she fired back, equally annoyed and irritated. "With those looks and all your little "nature this" and "flowers that" talk, it's really hard to believe you're not as gay as Axel. In fact, I think that you're prissy—"

She was cut off when he leaned over so close to her face that she thought she wouldn't ever be able to breathe again. "Don't mock me, Larxene, or I promise you, you'll be sorry." He could feel the slight tremble of her body underneath his and relished in the fact that now, he had the upper hand.

"What are you…" she trailed off as she felt her eyes close, the sensations running through her body foreign as he inched closer. She could almost feel his soft lips against hers when she was jerked away from the moment.

"Well, well, well…seems I was mistaken about you two," came a smooth, sarcastic, mocking voice from the hallway.

Larxene felt her blood boil, knowing full well that Axel was standing in the doorway, probably leaning against it, with the biggest smirk on his face. Forcing the blush down her cheeks, she put all her weight into her push as she managed to throw Marluxia from atop her, mainly because he'd been about as stunned as she that Axel was there; in any case, he'd let his guard down for but a moment. It was enough to give Larxene the leeway she needed to get away. Dusting herself off as Marluxia straightened himself as well, she spun on her heel and made a beeline for her room, ignoring the look Axel sent her way. As she passed him, she gave him her famous death look. "One word Axel, and I cut off something important." He blinked, disbelievingly. "I'm serious. You say a word, and pretty soon, you'll have to become a transgendered lover." Satisfied with his look of horror, she marched up the stairs, trying to ignore the fact that, for the first time in many years, she was attracted to someone. Shaking her head, she threw herself onto the bed.

_Bad memories, useless, bad memories--who needs them?_

* * *

_(And so, there is Chapter 4 for all of you happy campers. Pairings are still the same from how they started, meaning it's Marluxia/Larxene, Akuroku, Zemyx Namiku and Sokairi. If I have more people come in, like the FF people, those pairings will be Squiffie, Clorith and—because it's crackish—Sephiroth/Tifa. All right, that's all. R&R. I hope to have the next chapter out soon, or sooner than this one took to write! .)_

_**Sadistickunais**_


	5. Acrimony

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think?_

**A/N: HA! Here is chapter 5! Same rules apply. There is boy/boy love (though it's not the main pairing) and Mature themes, meaning NO LITTLE KIDS! . I can't stress that enough. That's all. Not much else to say, except that I hope to have chapter 6 out soon, too. This chapter is a little shorter, just to let you all know. R & R, and enjoy! . **

**Word coding:** ' Thoughts' , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff_

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

Acrimony

In the solitude of her room, Larxene grumbled angrily as she threw her book to the side, searching viciously for something underneath her mattress. Victory was unveiled as she lifted the pack of cigarettes from underneath the cushioned surface before walking to her window and propping it open just enough to let the actual smoke out. Quickly, she lit the cigarette, annoyed that she didn't have anything better, like pot. In situations like these she preferred to mellow out with her favorite, best friend from her younger days: Mary Jane. However, she hadn't been able to acquire any for quite some time, and she didn't exactly have a habit—so she wouldn't do anything for it. Taking a long drag, Larxene settled against the window sill, staring at the moonlight though it did not come through the open area. She could hear Axel and Marluxia talking downstairs, and became thoroughly irritated at the thought of them. '_He really pisses me off…chaps my ass, that asshole,_' she mused as she took another drag, this time keeping the tobacco in her lungs longer than before. When she finally exhaled, she realized that she was going to need another one; the one in between her fingers was more than half gone.

Chuckling to herself, she glanced around, searching for all the alcohol she'd coveted from Axel sometime after Marluxia had run out of her house like a pansy, or so she thought he was such. She spotted a bottle Everclear nestled underneath the Bacardi bottles that were already empty, courtesy of Demyx, Axel and Roxas. She knew she shouldn't drink but she couldn't resist. She poured herself a decent amount—meaning half of a small shot glass—and chose to gulp it without a chaser or anything of the like. Snorting to herself, she raised the cup to her lips, ready to down the alcohol, which would surely burn her throat like hot, liquid fire. However, she stopped as he eyes caught sight of a few figures—she was sure they were the local kid's gangs—running in the general direction of the mansion. She narrowed her eyes, annoyed. She was rather tired of delinquents thinking her mansion was some squatting zone. Shrugging, she ignored the person, guessing Axel would deal with it since he was downstairs. Raising her cup to the moon, she saluted the luminous silver wonder.

"Here's to…bad memories trapped like death in a glass of never ending time. No rain, no shine, and fuck the divine." It took a mere five minutes after she'd taken the whole glass before she fell on the bed, passing out from the intensity as well as the fact that she hadn't been taking very good care of herself.

Some minutes later found Roxas opening Larxene's door and letting out a terrified yelp. Not giving anything else a second thought, he darted over to his fallen roommate, pulling the still-lit cigarette from her coat where it had burned a nice hole in the material as well as a small mark on her skin. She didn't seem to notice, which puzzled Roxas, at first. But another quick glance told him the real story. Her empty shot glass lay haphazardly on the bed where she'd managed to drop it before passing out. He could smell the strong scent of alcohol and felt more than saw the ashtray as he heard it break beneath his feet with a loud, crunching sound. She seemed as though she'd been sleeping for at least 15 minutes at that point, and Roxas was sure she was going to be knocked out for a possible twenty more. Sighing, he fell on the bed next to her, grabbing her cigarettes and lighting one for himself. Sometimes, having Larxene's crazy ass for a roommate was one tough job, particularly when she smoked and drank like she wanted to end her life every time. He didn't understand why she was passed out though; Larxene had a high tolerance for alcohol, or so it had seemed after drinking with her a few times. Whatever the case, Roxas didn't necessarily want to be there when she awakened, so instead, he made sure there were no possibilities of harm before taking her entire box of cigarettes—she was a godamned chain smoker sometimes—and closing the door. He quickly headed back to his side of the house, not really hearing Axel and Marluxia conversing downstairs. He had been in the middle of a good horror movie marathon when they'd caused their little commotion.

'_Fucking assholes…_' he thought as he slipped into bed, snuggling beneath the covers; part of him hoped Axel didn't come back.

Meanwhile, Axel just stared at the brown haired man, rather amused as Marluxia sat back on the couch as if the red-dead wasn't there. Wincing at the pain in his shoulder he wiped the blood from his coat as it oozed onto the black material. "Dammit, I just bought this coat," he mused. "Are you going to sit there like that for the rest of the night? You've been smirking at me for 45 fucking minutes…it's decidedly creepy."

"Looks like she got you," Axel stated as he ignored the comment.

Marluxia snorted. "So you're saying but I don't agree."

"You're thick headed."

"You're annoying."

Knock-knock. The sound was a bit soft at first. Then it suddenly became more frantic, insistent.

"I'll get it. Don't know who it could be at this time of night…" Axel opened the door only to come face to face with a hysterical Namine who was sobbing uncontrollably. Before he knew it she had slammed herself onto his chest, latching on as the tears continued to fall and her sobs rose in volume. Axel knew it would be mere moments before Larxene and Roxas came out of their rooms to investigate the commotion. But for the meantime, he simply smoothed her hair as it appeared she wasn't ready to speak, or probably couldn't since she was sobbing so hard. "Namine, what's going on?"

Marluxia simply stared, unsure of what to do at the sight of the crying girl. She had seemed so happy when he left earlier in the day. Shaking his head, he did nothing as he waited patiently for anything. He was given his first task when Axel led Namine to the couch, asking Marluxia to stay with her while he retrieved Larxene. Roxas had already burst through, saw his friend and immediately went to the kitchen to fetch more tissues. It had been seconds after Roxas joined them on the couch when Namine's sobs quieted and she threw herself onto Roxas' chest, burrowing into his pajamas as he whispered to her.

"Namine, what happened?" Roxas' voice was low and soothing. "It's 12:00 AM. Something happened to you and we need to know."

She glanced up at him through tear-filled, puffy red eyes. "My…step father…"

"Who?" Larxene emerged from the stairs, somewhat daunted. At the mention of their step-father her blood boiled. "What did he…?" She suddenly sprinted to her sister, grabbing Namine's shoulders as she shook the girl. "Did he touch you? Tell me what he did to you!"

Marluxia watched, somewhat frazzled, at what was taking place. He opened his mouth to speak when Roxas motioned for him to stay silent. It was only a minute before Namine took a deep breath and began to explain. "I…I got home late…and he was angry that I slept over. I tried to tell him that I was at Kairi's but…he didn't believe me. He said he called Kairi's and Selphie's and that I wasn't there. He told me I was in trouble for lying to him." She hiccupped. "So he punished me. He knew Larxene…he's always known but I…I was so stupid to think I could fool him…and he told me I couldn't see you anymore…" She slowly peeled off her sweater to reveal various bruises forming on her arms not to mention the fact that her dress was ripped at the shoulders, and the hem was falling off. "But when I refused to stop visiting you…he—he…" It suddenly became hard for her to talk and Larxene knew the worst had occurred. "He…touched me…Larxene…he touched me!" She erupted into a fits of sobs and shrieks as Roxas embraced her completely. Her words became incoherent as she sobbed, repeating the same phrase over and over again. "I feel so dirty, so dirty…I can't get clean and I scrubbed and scrubbed…so dirty! I'm so dirty! See? See how dirty I am?" Namine showed them her arms again, and they finally caught sight of the red marks on her arms, most of which looked like large, red scratches; some were even puffy and swollen with blood surfacing. "So dirty…so disgusting…"

Larxene was rigid as she brought her gaze to the floor, barely noticing the small droplets of blood on it. Bringing her gaze back to Namine, she too, then noticed the small trails of blood dripping down her pale legs. '_That fuckin bastard_!' She practically ripped the kunai from her pajama pockets as she ran for the door, red blinding her vision as only one thought came to mind. "I'm going to fucking murder his sadistic, child molesting, rapist ass!" She had almost made it to the door when she felt someone tackle her. "GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"

"Marluxia, come hold her down!" Axel shouted.

He blanched. "Holy shit, what? You must be out of your fucking mind!"

"Just do it!" Roxas enforced.

"Axel, I'll fuckin decapitate you!" Larxene roared as she felt another pair of arms pinning her to the ground. "LET ME GO OR I'LL MAKE YOU ALL SO FUCKING SORRY!"

"No, this isn't the way to deal with it! We gotta report him to the authorities!" Axel reasoned, though he too would have liked to murder the man, personally and brutally, at that.

Larxene snarled. "FUCK THAT! HIS ASS IS MINE! HE DESERVES IT! HE'S HAD IT COMING FOR YEARS!" She suddenly threw her elbow back, knocking Axel in the jaw. He staggered with enough timing to pull Marluxia with him and free her. Taking her chance, she leapt to her feet and darted out the door. She made it as far as the mansion gate when she was ripped back by a pair of arms. Hissing like a feral cat, she fought, kicking and jabbing, swinging her kunai all over in hopes to throw off her attacker. When he didn't relent she fought harder, now knowing who it was. "Pretty Boy, let me go or I'll cut off that part of you that makes you fertile!"

"Just shut up, will you?" He replied, annoyed. "Cause if you don't, I'm going to knock you out."

"Try me," she spat as she elbowed him in the ribcage. She could feel him wince at the hit, smirking when she thought he'd let go. To her alarm, he simply tightened his hold. "What are you doing, you prick?"

"Shutting you up," he answered before she felt his fist knock into her stomach, successfully knocking the wind out of her. She stumbled forward in surprise, falling to her knees as she coughed, trying to regain air; but before she knew it, she had fallen completely forward, unconscious. Marluxia wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "Thanks for cooperating." Sighing in annoyance as she had before, Marluxia unceremoniously hoisted the unconscious young woman over his shoulder before walking back towards the house. Inside, Axel and Roxas were sitting quietly on the couch, both with looks of concentration on their faces. However, Roxas looked pale as a sheet and Namine was gone. '_In the shower_,' he assumed when he heard the water running in the left part of the house and muffled sobs as well. When he'd entered neither of the two housemates gave him a second glance, instead continuing to stay focused on whatever it was they were thinking about while he was gone. Becoming even more annoyed than before, Marluxia promptly set—more like dropped—Larxene onto the loveseat before resuming his place at the side of the couch, waiting. When the two still said nothing, he rolled his eyes. "Obviously something has to be done about this situation. And you two sitting there like some dopes isn't going to solve anything."

"Well, that's why Namine's upstairs showering," Roxas answered matter-of-factly. "After that…we're going to have to take her to the hospital for a check-up. We need that proof to make sure we can make a case."

"Yeah, and while we're doing that, you can stay with Larxene. Someone needs to make sure she doesn't go schitzo and kill her step-father before there is proof…" Axel trailed off, turning the opposite way and mumbling to himself. Marluxia strained to hear the last part of his sentence but to no avail. "Anyhow, we'd better get going," he said as all three of them heard the water stop running and the slamming of a door. "Larxene is bound to wake up in the next twenty minutes, and it's better if Namine isn't present for the onslaught."

Marluxia gaped at them—as well as he could without looking like a disgusting, gaping fish—as they quickly retrieved Namine. He didn't have time to get a word in as they disappeared into the night, the door closing on his face. He stood there in angry, aghast silence; Larxene's steady breathing was the only thing breaking the deathly silence in the more or less empty house. He could do nothing more than fall on the couch across from her, head in his hands as he thought about his circumstances. '_How the fuck did this happen to me?_' He was about to let out a string of colorful obscenities when his cell phone rang, the loud, screeching pitch of the ring tone piercing the air. Momentarily caught off guard, he fumbled in his coat pocket for the noisy contraption, hoping that Larxene would not awaken yet. He was in luck as she merely turned over, seemingly in a deep sleep. Once found, he quickly answered the phone, hissing into the receiver as soon as he'd opened it.

"Who the hell is this?"

"Uh…Mar, didn't you look at the caller ID log? It's me, Demyx," came the worried reply.

Somewhat relieved, he fell back against the couch as Larxene shifted again, this time curling into a fetal position as she kept sleeping. "Demyx, what the fuck is going on? Your friends are fucking crazy."

"What happened, Mar? Axel called me from the hospital!" Zexion could be heard in the background, trying to calm down the water-lover. "Is Larxene there? I heard it was about Namine! Is everything all right?"

"Obviously not if Namine is at the hospital, you idiot!" Marluxia responded venomously as he glanced over to the sleeping nymph on the couch. Rubbing his temples, he let out yet another sigh. "Demyx, I can't stay here. This is…not working out."

The emotional musician practically shrieked. "No! Mar, you gotta stay! Where else are you going to go?"

The brown haired young man felt like shooting his friend, though he did have a point. "Oh, thank you so much for reminding me I was kicked out and DISOWNED." He glared at the wall. "Listen, Demyx, I don't know what's going on here. Everyone in this house seems crazy without validation; so unless you start telling me about these people soon—and I mean damned soon—then I guess I'm going to have to become…homeless or something." He cringed at his own statement. Even though he was tough, the thought of not showering and such made him sick. '_Yes, I am a little vain but I don't think anyone wants to be without a shower for that long!' _

"I doubt that will be necessary Mar, so stop being a drama queen, ok?" Demyx snapped back. Marluxia began questioning when his friend grew a backbone. All the while, Demyx was trying very hard not to dissolve into an emotional blob within his boyfriend's arms as he thought about his friends. "Anyway, you should probably just lock up and come over here. I'll give you your keys and we can arrange exactly where you'll be sleeping."

"I can't come over, I'm babysitting a child who should be an adult," he said, his voice snippy. "But I'd be more than happy to leave her with you, since I can't stand her!"

Quiet reigned for a second. "Mar…are you there with Larxene?" At Marluxia's lack of response Demyx could only assume that his answer was a yes. The dirty blonde haired man couldn't resist the urge to laugh as he burst into a fit of chuckles. "Wow…I'm impressed."

"Shut it or I'll rip your lips off," Marluxia replied, his voice dripping with animosity. "I'm coming over, right now. And you're watching her and then I'm going to bed, you son of a bitch." He hung up. When Demyx did not call back, he walked over to the couch, grabbed Larxene's slumbering form and made to leave the house. She fidgeted in her sleep as he carried her, occasionally muttering phrases and obscenities—she seemed to be having a nightmare. Outside the air was cooler than usual and he could make out the vague outline of the hospital in the distance; it really was very far from where Larxene lived. He rolled his eyes as the moonlight streamed down on them, illuminating his ripped coat and bouncing off Larxene's blonde hair. Her face appeared paler than it had the day before, her skin whiter than he recalled—and so he found himself staring as he walked to Demyx. Just earlier that night he'd called her a savage nymph and he didn't think anything could be more correct. The wisps of her hair ruffled in the slight breeze that swept over them, also ruffling Marluxia's long, silky chestnut locks. His sapphire eyes sought out anything about her that would give way to her true nature; alas, he found nothing.

She looked serene as she slept—if one didn't count the constant moving around—her skin, hair and face a mask of perfected innocence that could fool anyone. And according to Demyx and Zexion, it had fooled many. Shaking his head, he brought his gaze back to the road just as Demyx's house came into view, revealing the musician pacing back and forth on the porch while Zexion sat on the chair, arms crossed and looking bored. The minute his gaze met Demyx's, Marluxia knew he was in for an interrogation like no other. He mentally prepared himself for the inquiry as he was let inside to the living room where he placed Larxene on the couch, who, luckily, continued to slumber. After he'd finished that task, Demyx had cornered him in the kitchen, Zexion nowhere in sight, as he tried to get a glass of water. His throat was dry and he was tired, mentally and physically, from everything that had just happened. His mind was on overload. He pretty much ignored everything his friend was saying until Demyx actually smacked the counter with the palm of his hand.

"What?"

"Were you even listening?"

Marluxia shrugged, too irritated to care. "Actually, no I was not, in fact." Nevertheless, he did not apologize when Demyx's eyes narrowed in anger. "What? I'm fucking tired Demyx. I was attacked by that "thing" sleeping on your couch and just witnessed the confession of a young woman who was raped!"

Demyx's jaw dropped. "Namine was raped?"

"Oh, you woke Larxene up," Zexion pointed out as Demyx and Marluxia turned to the person in the doorway.

Larxene had a look of murder on her face as she pointed her kunai at Marluxia, her eyes blazing and body in fighting stance. "You're mother fuckin dead, pretty boy. I told you to stay out of this…but you just couldn't listen." She threw a knife at the man but he caught it deftly between his fingers. "Where did they go?" When no one answered her question, her face contorted hideously. "WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY GO?" She glared at the three of them. "Well, if no one is going to answer me, then I will just have to kill all of you!" Stepping away from the wall, she launched herself at Demyx, intent to stick a kunai in his arm but Zexion pulled him away just in time. Demyx squeaked in surprise when Marluxia grabbed a hold of Larxene, locking her arms behind her back as she struggled to break free. She felt her anger heighten as she continued to fight him, tears burning at her eyelids though she would not release them. "Let me go you asshole! Fuck, let me go!"

He shook his head, his eyebrows knitted together as he waited for her to lose her energy, knowing that she'd calm down. But he was taken by surprise when she hunched over, shoulders shaking, and shook her head profusely. It appeared that she was mumbling something as Demyx and Zexion exchanged worried glances. Marluxia leaned closer to her, trying to hear, and consequently forgetting the position they were in. "What the hell are you saying, crazy nymph?"

At this, Demyx raised a brow, curious. '_Since when did he call her that?_' Shaking the thought away he directed his statement at his friend. "Uh Mar…I think you should let her go now…she's really harmless now…believe me."

His eyebrows rose so far up his forehead that it hurt. Regardless, he allowed Larxene free, surprised when she merely darted off into the back of the house. He heard the slamming of a door and then silence as Demyx and Zexion looked around, relieved. Rubbing his forehead, the chestnut haired man tried to ignore the small signs of an oncoming migraine. "Can someone please explain what the hell is going on and why she is so god damned schizophrenic?" He frowned. "Does she have multiple personalities or something?"

Zexion nodded. "In a manner of speaking, she does. But Larxene is about as well known to us as she is to you, Marluxia."

Demyx took a seat at the table and began toying with the salt and pepper shakers. "Larxene is…well, there isn't much known about her. Namine, as you've seen before, doesn't provide many details about where they came from or who they really are. Anything about their lives…we just…don't know that information."

"Why not? You're her friends, aren't you?"

Demyx winced at the repeated question. "Yes…and no." Marluxia's brow knitted again at this particular response as Demyx resumed explanation. "She…Larxene has no friends, really. She lives with people, talks to them, interacts with them on a certain level; but no one knows who she REALLY is inside. This person you see now…this is who she has become, according to Namine. The only people who knew who she really was in the past, and who part of her still is now, are Namine and her parents. And quite frankly, that isn't too many people since…um…their parents are dead and Namine is in the custody of her step-father who…is a piece of work—and apparently the head of a huge, prosperous business. He's quite well-known here, in fact, and most everywhere else, too."

He'd been listening intently, his curiosity growing more with each little bit of information Demyx revealed. "So, basically what you're saying is that she's un-chartered territory to everyone here?" Demyx nodded. Marluxia leaned his chin on his hand. "Still…there's got to be more of an explanation as to why she is the way she is besides her parents having died. The pieces aren't fitting."

"Stop being so nosy," Demyx warned. "You won't get anywhere with her, not that way."

"Who said anything about me wanting to get anywhere with her?" Marluxia inquired, offended as he glared at Demyx, who was still smirking obnoxiously in Marluxia's opinion. "She's crazy…I don't want to have anything to do with her." When Demyx did not relent, Marluxia threw him a dirty, harassed look as he stood from the table. "Look, I don't give a shit what you think. I know who I am and what I want—and it has nothing to do with her, that insane witch." He began stalking towards the living room, still amazingly graceful in the process—his nickname of the "Graceful Assassin" didn't stick because he was a klutz. "I'm going to bed, so fuck off or you'll be sorry in the morning." He was almost out the doorway when he turned around, shooting Demyx a distasteful look. "And stop calling me Mar or I'm going to slice you in so many ways, you won't be recognizable."

Instead of cowering in fear, Demyx simply nodded, snickering. "Whatever you say. Good night…MAR."

Marluxia felt his fists tense in pure annoyance. If Demyx wasn't his best friend he might have actually turned around and beat him to a bloody pulp, decapitated him or inflicted some other horrible form of torture upon the giddy musician. However, he refrained, throwing the middle finger over his shoulder before disappearing into the darkened living room. He could make out the faint trace of the couch from the moonlight flowing through the partially opened window; nothing had ever looked more inviting. Stretching his limbs, he gave nothing a second thought before dropping himself onto the couch and falling fast asleep. On the other side of the room unnoticed, Larxene sat in Demyx's favorite chintz chair, which was battered and falling apart but still extremely comfortable. She watched Marluxia, her eyes burning from unshed tears but still curious enough to spy. She hated him with a passion, wanting to punish him for besting her so many times within just meeting him. But most of all, she wanted to hate him more than she should, more than she did. Her kunai glinted in the silver beams of light, sitting neatly on the tabletop before her, though she herself could not be seen.

She curled more into herself as she saw Marluxia's hand slowly fall from his chest until it was hanging off the side of the couch. Part of her was kicking herself for being so enraptured with the scene while the other part sucked it in like a druggie would with a bad habit. The feelings that were coursing through her body were enough to drive her mad; she was confused beyond all reason, though she didn't look it. Larxene didn't admit it outwardly, but she prided herself on being mean, bitchy and callous—she hated vulnerability. Sighing quietly, she hugged herself as she watched, from the chair, as Demyx and Zexion departed to their room for the night. The silence that surrounded her was stifling and she wanted nothing more than to scream or hit something. She was unbelievably pissed off at Axel and Roxas for leaving her. But another part of her knew she would have been of no help to her sister, and that made her sad though she wouldn't admit it or show it to anyone. Namine was the one good thing she had left in life and yet she pushed her away, relentlessly. '_It seems that bastard was right…fuckin Axel…_' She wanted to laugh but she couldn't find the energy to do so, her mid-section still throbbing in pain from Marluxia's blow. '_What a jerk off…now I'm going to have a fuckin bruise…_' She wanted to stretch but as before, the pain in her side prevented her from doing so. Huffing in annoyance, she slowly slid from the chair, pushing her thoughts of Marluxia to the back of her head as she made her way towards the "guest bedroom" in the back of Demyx's house.

The guest bedroom was more of a closet, hole-in-the-wall type area that personified how incompetent Larxene thought Demyx was in the matters of housing arrangement and spatial placement. When she first saw his house, she couldn't help but roll her eyes—he was like her father: no sense of placement. He had stuffed so much junk into the small closet-like space that it had spilled on her when she'd opened it, unaware of what was inside. As a result, she yelled at him about it and made him change it even though she did not live with him and was not his girlfriend. Zexion, who hadn't been his boyfriend at that point, decided that he'd help. When they had all finished cleaning out the closet and making it slightly more spacious enough to hold a small mattress, Larxene had decided that Zexion was into Demyx—that way. She'd been hanging up the curtain they'd all chosen to serve as a door when she'd noticed Demyx blushing like mad as he stared at the silver hair young man, who was busily sweeping the floor in silence. Then, magically, Zexion turned around, they locked eyes, and Larxene knew. '_Yeah, that had been obvious._' She'd already known Demyx was interested in men but she hadn't been sure about Zexion—who they'd known for about two months at that point—until that day. And fairytale happenings and endings were uncommon but somehow, they'd managed one and she wanted to vomit at it.

Shaking her had at the memories, Larxene kneeled down on the mattress halfway before she fell on it completely. The pillow had a lining of dust from little usage and so she coughed as she inhaled the particles. She really wanted to sneeze but it would not come out. Sighing again, she looked around, in a half effort, for the sheet that was supposed to be kept there incase someone needed to use the room. Unlike Larxene, it seemed Demyx hardly ever had anyone crashing at his house whether by choice or just as a last resort due to some massive hangover whereas her house seemed like the town home for loonies, druggies, runaways, alcoholics and such. '_Yeah…wonder how my living space became the take-in-anyone-home-for-the-sick.' _She couldn't think of any other better reasoning, and so decided she was going to try to get some sleep. More than ever, she wanted to lock herself in the closet and never come out, especially seeing as to the fact that no one had called her with the whereabouts of Namine. And somehow, she was sure no one was going to. If anything, Axel and Roxas would keep Larxene as far away from her sister as possible, even if it meant kicking Larxene out of her own house—they'd done it before. Smacking her head in frustration, the blonde rolled onto her side as she tried to block out the sounds of Demyx and Zexion from whatever they were doing in the next room. She couldn't begin to fathom how Marluxia slept through it, seeing as to Demyx was so damn loud—kind of like Roxas—and if possible, could wake the neighborhood and would at some point. '_God fucking dammit…is one good night's sleep too much to fucking ask for?' _Vexed beyond all reason, Larxene shoved her head underneath the pillow before closing her eyes in hopes to sleep.

**:Okie, there is supposed to be a line break here, but the browser won't let me input it so...this writing is the line break:**

Axel and Roxas noisily paced the corridor outside Namine's examination room, their discomfort and anxiousness not hidden under their usual cool or sarcastic demeanors. Roxas, who tended to be the less emotional one, outwardly, was nervously looking through the window only to have the small opening covered with a piece of blue paper. He couldn't see a thing. Axel knew this mainly because his young lover suddenly threw himself against the wall and began mumbling obscenities towards the door. As for himself, Axel was playing with his lighter, ignoring the stares that the nurses and orderlies were sending his way. He could care less about what they thought altogether. He just wanted to leave. He hated hospitals. When the door opened eons later, Axel shoved the lighter in his pocket as Roxas jumped up, alert and waiting. Finally the doctor emerged, her young face appearing a bit worn from so many late night shifts at work, with her clipboard and motioned for them to enter. Once inside, Roxas immediately ran to Namine as she turned sullen blue eyes at him, her lips quivering and arms hugging herself to hide the bruises.

"And you are ok with me telling this information to these two young gentlemen, Ms. Namine?" The doctor glanced at the girl as Namine nodded in reply. "And you are…?"

"Axel, one of Namine's cousins. And that is Roxas—he's her boyfriend," Axel replied without giving it too much thought. He briefly glanced at them before jerking his head to the door. The doctor nodded, understanding what he was asking. Once outside, Axel just went for it. "What didja find, Doc?"

The woman merely smiled at Axel, looking relieved. He guessed she felt that Axel and Roxas weren't as delinquent as she previously might have thought. "Well, it appears that yes, Namine was indeed sexually assaulted. However, it does not look like there was any actually penetration of the penis into the vagina." Axel raised a brow as the woman continued. "There was some tearing, which was obvious by the blood on her legs and vaginal area. But there was no semen or signs of ejaculation. I can only assume that, yes, that there was penetration but it had to have been by something else—possibly some sort of sex toy or some other object." She sighed. "Yet Namine won't disclose any information to me aside from that fact that she was assaulted. Tell me, Axel, what do you know about her history, who she's living with, etc? Does she have any siblings? We need to know who did this to her. She's only 17, and that can become a case right there."

His guard went up; he hated hospitals, mainly because they asked too many questions. But he let out a sigh as he saw Namine collapse into a heap of sobs within Roxas' arms. He had to tell the doctor what he knew. "I guess I don't know too much. She does have a sister, and a step-father. Her real parents are dead…have been for some years. I guess Namine lives with the step-father. I think he's the one who…assaulted her, the bastard."

The doctor looked unsurprised. "Yes…assault by relatives is often common. In her case, you can take it to court and put the man in jail." He laughed, the sound somber, causing the doctor to look at him quizzically. "Did I say something funny? This isn't really a laughing matter."

"It's funnier than you think…" he stopped to catch his breath. "Her step-father…he owns the company that sell you and your hospital all its medical supplies. Ever heard of him, Dr. Lockhart?"

Dr. Lockhart gasped, grasping her clipboard so tight that she thought it might break. "The owner of…of…KH International INC?" Axel nodded. "T-The business tycoon?"

"Yeah, that'd be him…so tell me, do you really think anyone is going to take him to court?" She just continued to stare. Axel blew out an annoyed breath. "Yeah…didn't think so. He'd sooner pay off every lawyer in the country than be sent to jail." When she said nothing more, he pointed to the room where Roxas was picking Namine up in his arms; it appeared she'd fallen asleep. "Can we go Doc?" Nothing. Axel smirked solemnly as he patted her on the shoulder, his tall frame towering over her short one. "Thanks for everything. We'll be in touch…maybe."

Dr. Lockhart could only watch in horror as the three strolled out, earning themselves odd looks from the hospital staff. They'd been out the door mere minutes when she finally came to her senses. Instantly she headed for the nurses station closest to her, walking briskly as running was not allowed in the hallways. Once there, she slammed the clipboard on the desk, earning a yelp from the nurse in front of her. "Kisaragi, get me the number to the Twilight Town Courthouse and Attorney Kosaka's number, now!"

The young nurse looked at her, alarmed as she fumbled to obey her orders. "Yes, ma'am!"

Grinning through her exhaustion, Tifa Lockhart clenched her fists around her pen. "You are going down, Sumitse, and I'm going to make sure of it."

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_(There is Chapter 5 for ya! Not much else to say except…MATURE THEMES. All right, that's all. R&R. Hopefully, I can have the next chappie out soon!)_

**_Sadistickunais_**


	6. Discussion

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think?_

**A/N: HA! Here is chapter 6! Same rules apply. There will continue to be boy/boy love (sorry all—it's not the main pairing) and Mature themes (I.E. incase you haven't noticed at this point, that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, blah, blah, blah!) meaning NO LITTLE KIDS! I can't stress that enough. Um…this chapter is bringing in a few new people, so bear with me. I hope I didn't get them TOO out of character. I mean, they can't stick completely to their layouts in the games cause that'd be…weird since there aren't heartless and no hearts and nobodies, etc. Thanks. Please R&R. Enjoy. **

**Word coding:** ' _Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

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**Discussion **

"Good morning! Attorney Kosaka's Office, this is Aerith speaking. How may I help you?"

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Hi, Aerith, it's me, Tifa."

"Tifa, hi! How are you?"

"Fine, thanks. Listen, I think I have a potential rape case and I need Attorney Kosaka to review the doctor's report," Tifa explained. "But we don't have a police report yet so…"

"You need a police report though, you know that Tifa," Aerith stressed over the phone, scolding though her voice sounded nothing like it. "Maybe you can get…maybe Cloud can do something…have you spoken to him about this yet?"

She blinked. "No, I haven't yet…but I suppose I could give him a call. Hopefully those kids will come back…or…" she checked her clipboard. "She didn't write down her phone number!"

Aerith could be heard laughing on the other end. "Oh, Tifa, I'm sure you can find her some other way. Just input the rest of her information. She's bound to have a medical record somewhere! In fact—hold on. Just a minute, sir!" Tifa waited a few minutes. "Oh, I'm so sorry Tifa! I have to go. Mr. Kosaka needs me to show a client into the back! I'll call you on my lunch break."

There was the click of the phone and Aerith was gone. '_Dammit…_' The long, jet black haired woman cursed under her breath as she shook her head. She was about to leave when she suddenly turned to the nurse in front of her. "Kisaragi, make a copy of this record. Then I want you to file it, and input this information into the database. Find this patient. I want to know everything we are allowed to know about her without breaking the confidentiality contract, understand?" The nurse nodded as Tifa let out a loud sigh. "Now…I think I'll go have some breakfast."

Yuffie Kisaragi, said nurse with assigned task, slumped in her chair. Tifa was like a slave driver sometimes but damned if she wasn't excellent at her job. Aside from that, Yuffie was Tifa's friend from way back when, the little circle of them staying connected throughout the years. And now she worked under her friend as one of the resident nurses while Tifa went on her merry way being a Ph.D. certified doctor. She used to see only children patients, having signed up for pediatrics when she first entered the field of medicine. But recently, meaning about four years prior, she'd opted for special cases while specializing in teens, which explained why she was seeing the young girl for possible rape. Yuffie glanced at the sheet. '_Namine…hmm…that's an uncommon name. If she's in the database, she should come up right away_.' Sighing, she went about doing everything she'd been told to, her heart hammering in her chest. Twilight Town didn't necessarily have a low crime rate but it wasn't high either. Most of the time it was just gang violence, graffiti, robbery and occasional Domestic Violence situations that were referred to their hospital. The next town over, Traverse Town, was the town full of violence though hardly any of it had leaked over into Twilight Town.

They were somewhat opposites though they were connected by a bridge that joined the communities every so often, usually when the mayor had something to say—most of the time, it was complete and utter bullshit, too. '_That jackass…he wouldn't help either city if it meant he could still get re-elected scott-free._' Mayor Ansem was the biggest liar and flake of a mayor, in Yuffie's opinion. She couldn't believe how he'd been re-elected but she figured it had a lot to do with the fact that all his people were on the election board. Snickering, she continued to search for Namine's medical records, hoping that she found something—Tifa was a terror when not satisfied. Whatever the case, it'd been 10 minutes and she still had yet to see anything on the girl in their database. '_This is really odd_,' she mused as she glanced at the girl's record once again. '_Namine, Namine…I could've sworn I'd heard that name before, at least once…_' She took another quick gander at the record and practically gagged. It said that the girl had been raped, in some way, by her step-father. _'How disgusting…_' Yuffie had to hold the tears back as she remembered the image of the young girl walking by, sobbing and holding onto a boy, who appeared to be her boyfriend, as though he was her anchor to life. Otherwise, she might die.

Trying to shake the image proved futile as Yuffie poured over anything in their database that would resemble Namine's name. Still, there was nothing. Letting out an angry shout, she slumped in her chair as the computer screen results revealed nothing helpful. Growling, she grabbed the record and headed in the direction Tifa had gone, determined to talk about it over breakfast. Immediately she spotted Tifa sitting in a corner table surrounded by papers, a large cup of coffee, a biscuit and some fruit. Yuffie shook her head; Tifa was a strange one. She dropped herself on the seat, unsurprised when Tifa did not look up, instead muttering a brief "hello" before going back to work. The younger woman simply laughed. "Man, Tifa, you haven't changed since we were kids."

"I was the older kid, remember?"

Yuffie snorted. "Yeah, yeah, so you remind me all the time. Anyway, I didn't find anything."

"Nothing?" Tifa looked annoyed.

"Nope! Zip, nada, blank, nothing! It seems she doesn't exist here, not in this hospital," Yuffie replied, waving the record around. "She's gotta be from somewhere else."

"But she'd have had to come to the doctor here at some point. She's almost eighteen, and I'm sure she needs a yearly physical. She looked so fragile—she must be a regular patient," Tifa argued lightly.

"Nope, she's not. Not here, anyway," Yuffie returned. "It is weird though. You would think…well, scratch that."

"I think what?" Tifa put the paper she'd been browsing through upon the tabletop, suddenly interested in what Yuffie was saying. "Yes, go on Yuffie. I hate when you don't finish sentences, you know that."

Shrugging, the short, black haired woman slouched in her chair. "I'm simply suggesting we check the records at Traverse Town Hospital. It is the only other close hospital near here, not to mention that a lot of people go there before they come here. It just…seems like a good idea."

The other woman laughed as she slapped Yuffie on the back. "Yuffie, you are a genius. Get on that right away."

Yuffie groaned. "Indeed…me and my great ideas." Tifa smiled. "Ok, I'm on it in ten. But first," she took a chip from Tifa's freshly opened bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos. Sighing contently, she leaned back in her chair. "I need some nourishment, slave driver."

Tifa looked appalled. "I am so not a slave driver Yuff, you liar!" She threw a chip at her.

Yuffie caught it in her mouth, laughing once she'd swallowed it. "Yeah, that's what you think. But I think some people would beg to differ."

Chuckling, Tifa started recollecting the papers on the plywood table. "Whatever, you dork. Just finish eating because we've got a lot of work to do."

**:LINE BREAK:**

Namine curled up on the bed, her eyes tired and body beyond sore as she waited for Axel to come in. He was supposed to be taking her to school today but had decided that it wasn't a good idea. Roxas was in the kitchen making cocoa and her sister was no where in sight. She was somewhat relieved at this; Larxene on a rampage was a terrible thing. Marluxia, Demyx and Zexion were noticeable absent as well, though Demyx had called to say hello to her earlier that morning. She was just beginning to drift off again when Axel came in, a steaming cup of cocoa in his hands while Roxas lingered behind him with a box of tissues and a plate of warm chicken soup. She smiled, appreciating their effort but wanting nothing more than to take a scorching hot shower in hopes to remove the dirtiness she felt on her skin. After they placed the food on the table next to her makeshift bed, Axel left and Roxas stayed. As soon as the door clicked shut she turned away from her friend. He said nothing but she jumped when his hand touched her arm.

"Namine?"

She felt tears burn at her eyelids; she didn't want anyone to touch her, not even Roxas. "I don't…" her voice quivered heavily. "I can't…please understand Roxas…I don't…please don't touch me."

He frowned, worried. "Namine…I would never…I mean I'm not…" he was at a loss for words when she shook her head. ""Ok, I understand…I'll leave you be, all right?" She nodded as he proceeded to leave. "Try to…get some sleep and we'll take care of everything for school?" She nodded again. "Sleep well."

Outside, Axel was busily arguing on the phone with Demyx who didn't seem to want to put Larxene on the phone. Axel was winning, of course. The red-head was shouting furiously, waving a thick yellow pages book in his left hand while the other held the phone, which looked like it was going to break. Roxas let out a small chuckle as he returned to the kitchen to eat some of the leftover soup they'd made for Namine. After a long night of holding Namine and comforting her, he was tired and hungrier than he could remember. Axel had spent the night searching for attorneys and anyone who would be willing to take down Namine's step-father. But every time he thought he'd found one, it would turn out that the person was good friends with the bastard. Roxas felt his eyes narrow as he spooned the last bit of soup out with a large ladle, almost spilling some; he realized his hand had been shaking the entire time—in anger. Brushing it off, he grabbed the nearest spoon and proceeded to join Axel, who was still shouting, on the couch to eat. Even if he didn't like when Axel shouted he still wanted to be near his lover, especially after last night. In a way, he wasn't sure what to do with himself after Namine had asked him to leave.

He was halfway through his soup by the time the pyromaniac slammed the phone down on the receiver, successfully breaking it. Axel let out a string of obscenities—he was going to have to buy a new phone or Larxene would slit his throat. Annoyed, he fell back onto the couch seething. He was vaguely brought back to reality when he heard Roxas slurping his soup next to him. Giving a half-hearted smile, he looked at his boyfriend, watching intently as Roxas ate until the blonde shot him an irritated look. Axel laughed. "Good morning."

"Yeah, and what a fine morning it is," Roxas replied with sarcasm. "What's on the agenda?"

"Demyx and Zexion want us to retrieve Larxene." Roxas raised a brow. "She's trying to kill Marluxia."

"And what is Marluxia doing?"

Axel smirked. "Matching or besting her in everything, from what it sounded like." He leaned back, letting out a slow, deep breath. "I think she likes him."

"I think she does too…when she has knives pressed at his throat, is making him bleed and causing him severe bodily harm." Axel laughed and Roxas shook his head. "You think the weirdest things…you're sick."

"Hmm…and coincidentally, I'm all yours," Axel answered as he looked at the curtain that hid them from the world. Had it been any other time, he knew Roxas would have shot back a witty, smart ass comment. But when nothing came he wasn't surprised. Instead, he slipped his arms around Roxas, successfully surprising him and making his squeak. Once there, he buried his head in the blonde's surprisingly fragrant hair. "Roxas…I would never let that happen to you. You're my world, you fiery little asshole."

And although it didn't sound the most affectionate, Roxas couldn't help but smile. Axel had an odd way of showing he cared but Roxas never misinterpreted or misunderstood it. He nodded, nestling in the taller man's arms. "I know…I know, you damned pyromaniac."

The two sat there in silence for a few minutes when suddenly the door burst open and Demyx came bolting in, wheezing and clutching something in his arms. Axel raised a brow. "Hey Demyx. Whatcha got there?"

"MY FUCKING KNIVES!"

Demyx made a mad dash for the bathroom, disappearing around the corner just as Larxene ran in with Marluxia and Zexion looking utterly bored behind her. Axel immediately noticed that Marluxia was limping a little; he snickered. "What happened to you, prissy boy?"

"She stabbed him in the leg with two knives," Zexion answered as Marluxia let out a frustrated groan and shot them all a death glare. "Do you have a first aid kit around this dump?"

"My house is not a dump, you anti-social prick!" Larxene could be heard banging on the door but somehow it didn't stop her from yelling at Zexion.

"I do not need a first aid kit; I'm fine," Marluxia snapped as he fell onto the bean bag chair located by the TV. He sighed. "I need some water." He was looking towards the kitchen when he caught sight of long, blonde hair. He suddenly remembered Namine. "What happened with the girl?"

Roxas blinked. "Namine? Oh…well…you see…"

"I'm fine, thank you," came a timid whisper from the behind Axel and Roxas. Zexion nearly jumped out of his skin, or would have had he been any other person. Instead, he nodded. Marluxia just stared at the young girl, somewhat amazed at how she was still around after the incident. She could feel him staring, and she blushed. "Oh, I um…everything is…ok. I'll just be going back to sleep now." She turned to Roxas. "Thank you for the soup. It was very good, really."

And then she was gone. She had very clearly blocked out the racket coming from the other end of the house, not caring to even mention it to the residents in the living room. When they heard her door click closed—though how they did over the racket caused by Larxene and Demyx was still a mystery—they resumed their original states with Marluxia peering at the puncture wounds in his legs. Zexion rolled his eyes as he went in search of the first aid kit that Axel neglected to provide. Meanwhile, Demyx and Larxene continued to argue while Larxene tried desperately to break down her own bathroom door, which Axel seemed to find amusing. Roxas buried his hands in his hair, his mind boggled as to how his friends could carry on such childish measures at such a crucially stressful time. Axel was too busy laughing at the two in the hallway to notice that Marluxia had grabbed a hold of the yellow pages and was using the pages to stop the bleeding of his cuts. He all but snorted when Axel gave him a horrendous look, having finally noticed this, and continued dabbing at the blood on his skin.

"What the fuck? Couldn't you have asked for band-aids? We need that book to find an attorney for Namine, you jack ass!" Axel roared.

At that moment Zexion chose to walk in, rolling his eyes as he handed the first aid kit to Marluxia who accepted it graciously though he appeared disgruntled as well. "We did, you moron, but you were too busy being a five year old, as usual. Besides...have you even found any yet?"

Axel looked positively irate. "Well, fuck, no we haven't. But still, Marluxia is being a jerk-off!"

"I am not, you gay asshole!" Marluxia fired back, annoyed as he dabbed at his cuts with the alcohol pads, not even flinching at the contact. "Man…how the hell do you put up with this shit all the time, Zexion?"

The lavender haired youth shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I've learned to block it out, really."

"You mean you ignore me?" Axel smirked as Zexion nodded. "Well, we'll just have to fix that then, won't we, you anti-social little bitch."

"Cut it out Axel. It's not a good time," Roxas interjected as he stood up to put his bowl in the sink. Immediately the red head backed off, seething through his teeth as he played with his lighter and can of almost-empty hairspray. "Geez…can't you guys be a little more mature? Namine was raped less than 12 hours ago. She's having post traumatic syndrome, or whatever the hell it's called. Don't you think we should at least be good friends and give her some god-dammed, well deserved peace and quiet?" When no one said anything he rolled his eyes and walked towards his room. "You guys make me sick."

Axel frowned as he heard the door slam from their end of the house. Sighing, he grabbed fistfuls of his hair and disappeared through the front door. "FUCK!"

Marluxia raised a brow as the red-head's shout penetrated the windows and walls of the dilapidated house, even drowning out Larxene and Demyx, temporarily. "Does he do that a lot?"

"Only when Roxas gets upset with him."

"Oh, so she hasn't killed you yet, I see," Zexion replied quietly when Demyx resurfaced looking better than he should have. "Where did she go?"

"Um…I gave her back her knives. I think she went to Namine's room," Demyx answered, somewhat relieved. "At least she's not bothering me anymore."

"Do you ever think with that thick skull of yours, Demyx? She shouldn't be bothering Namine right now!" Axel had reappeared in the doorway for a split second before darting off towards Namine's room. "DAMMIT!" There was a crash then a feral scream. "LARXENE, LEAVE HER ALONE! YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" Another shout and a yelp. "BITCH, THAT'S MY ARM! I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"NOT BEFORE I CUT OFF YOUR DICK, YOU ASS!" Larxene's reply was furious as Axel dragged her down the stairs and back into the living room.

The occupants already in the room could only stare as they watched him drag her in, kunai sticking out of his arms and Larxene's nails digging into the flesh by his collarbone. His teeth were clenched as he threw her on the couch, where she landed next to Zexion and settled down, hissing at everyone around her. After grabbing the kunai from his arm and tossing them on the ground, he stomped over to Marluxia, snatched up an alcohol pad and slapped it onto his own wounds, glaring at Larxene the entire time. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you fucking stupid? You know talking to Namine isn't your strong point. Stop being an ass and let her be. She needs to fucking heal and you being around her NEVER helps, Larxene. Stop being so fucking selfish for once in your pathetic life!"

Larxene stopped hissing, her eyes widening. She shook with rage, her fingers curling dangerously around the remaining knives between her fingers. "Listen, you faggot, you know nothing about me or my life so don't fucking judge me. And I am not pathetic, and neither is my life, and I'm not selfish. I let you stay here free of charge so don't accuse me of stupid shit!" She laughed though everyone could see her eyes were beginning to glisten. "Don't be so quick to talk about others when your life is just as pathetic Axel! If you don't like it, get the fuck out! No one is making you stay around here." She turned to leave. "Besides…I wasn't kicked out because I was gay."

He laughed maliciously. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot!" She blinked apprehensively. "No, you were just kicked out because you were a whore and gave it up to anyone who wanted a free ride!" He fired back, angrier than ever. At this, they both knew they'd gone too far. Axel would've been the first to step forward and apologize but Larxene had already fled, practically knocking the door of its hinges as she departed. Sighing again, this time heavier than before, Axel fell against the nearest wall, shaking his head. Marluxia, Demyx and Zexion, though still there, were forgotten. "What the fuck, what the fuck…WHAT THE FUCK?"

Silence reigned for about a minute until a soft voice broke it. "Axel, are you ok?"

He smiled weakly, not looking up. "Yeah, thanks for asking Namine."

She nodded. "I'm sorry Larxene called you that. She didn't really mean it…you're still her best friend. She just…needs time to cope with this…more than me, I think."

"I shouldn't have called her that—she's not a whore," Axel replied.

"No, she isn't a whore, and there isn't anything wrong with you being gay…but it looks like I'm causing too much trouble being here," Namine said, her eyes watering. "Maybe it's better if I go. Larxene's only trying to be my big sister…but I can't be around her, not like this…tell Roxas I—"

"You can't leave, Namine, you can't!" Roxas emerged from his doorway. He quickly bolted over to her, enveloping her in a hug though she tried to break free, disgusted by the touch. "No, Namine! You have to stay here—this is where you belong! Larxene will get over it, and she'd want you to stay too! She just doesn't know how to show it. We need you here, just like you need us. You're not going to heal if you go back. And he'll just hurt you again, and again, and again!" She tensed more, trying harder to break free. "No! I'm not letting you go. I won't let him hurt you anymore. I'm your friend; I'll never hurt you Namine, never. I just want you to be safe…and you have to try. You need a new start, and this could be it."

"Roxas, I…" she trailed off as tears slipped from her eyes. She cowered, clutching his shirt as she sobbed. "I know…but it hurts…and I feel so dirty still…and your touch frightens me…but I know you'd never hurt me. I just…I feel so dirty…"

He smiled weakly as he smoothed her hair, ignoring the looks he was getting from the other people in the room. "You're safe here Namine. You're always safe here, with us, with me. I'm your best friend, remember? I'll do anything for you."

"I know," she sobbed.

Axel shook his head, trying to process everything. "Listen, Namine, you have school tomorrow, don't you?" She nodded. "You don't have to go. I can call the school again and…"

"No, I have to go back. Roxas, Kairi and Sora will be there with me. I should be all right," she said hesitantly. She looked at Roxas. "Will you…stay with me the whole day?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll…call the school and talk to the principal. Why don't you go back with Roxas and get your clothes from the house. I doubt your bastard ass father is there right now. The maid called and told me he was on a business trip." Axel motioned for them to leave as he picked up the phone. "I'll have some more tea and soup ready for you when you get back, all right?" Both teens nodded and disappeared through the door and into the night. Rubbing his temples with his free hand, Axel searched through the papers for Namine's school number. "Hey, Marluxia, go make Namine some soup and tea. She's going to need it when she gets back."

"Why the fuck do I have to do it?" He asked, annoyed.

"Because I said so, girly-man," Axel shot back.

"Who died and made you the boss of my life?" Marluxia retorted nastily as he rose from the couch to move to the kitchen though he made no move to actually put anything on the stove to cook.

Demyx rolled his eyes. "I'll do it."

"That makes sense. YOU'RE the REAL girly-man around here," Marluxia said, leaning back against the table.

"Haha Mar, you're so funny I forgot to laugh," Demyx spat sarcastically at his friend as he pulled out another can of chicken soup and a few bags of tea. "Zexion, could you put the water for the tea to boil in the kettle? I think we're going to need more than just soup for Namine."

"You're so motherly when you want to be," Axel said from where he was still searching for the High School's number. Zexion quickly nodded, agreeing with the pyromaniac. Nevertheless he did as his boyfriend had kindly requested while Axel let out a triumphant shout. "Aha! I found it! Victory is mine!"

Marluxia rolled his eyes as he watched the display. It appeared he wasn't doing anything so he made to leave when Axel suddenly called to him. "What the hell do you want?"

"Go find Larxene. She needs to come home or she's going to do something we'll all regret," Axel replied.

"Like falling into a sewer drain? I highly doubt we'll regret THAT," The brown haired man answered grumpily. "And no, I am not going to look for that crazy bitch. She's already tried to kill me numerous times." Silence. "And why does it have to be me?"

"You're not doing anything," Axel answered, waving him away in irritation.

"I told you. It would've been better if you'd made the soup, dumbass," Demyx said with a chuckle. "Now go get Larxene, Mar. I'm sure she's just running around the mansion yard, probably throwing knives at things."

"Wow…that makes me feel so much better you ass," Marluxia said as he grabbed the doorknob to the backdoor.

"Good luck. Be careful," Zexion whispered to him on the way out.

"Gee, fucking thanks." The gratitude was drowned out by the slamming of the back door as Marluxia disappeared into the night. He growled in anger as he looked at the backyard—it was like a graveyard. The moon cast eerie shadows over the land, bouncing off ancient statues and the dew wet grass. Shaking his head, he slowly started a path straight into the yard, not able to really see where it ended because the yard was so big. The statues hid a lot from view and he had the feeling finding Larxene was going to take longer than it should, especially if she would not come willingly. '_Yeah, I've known her for two days…and already I don't think she'd come willingly, not ever_,' he mused as he glanced back and forth between the left and right sides of the area. He could hear the small ping of metal bouncing off of something, which he figured was concrete or marble, in the distance. He was sure it was Larxene and thus his thought was confirmed when he saw her at the far left end of the land, knives glinting in the moonlight as she threw them at a stone statue. Some stuck, feebly, while the rest had bounced off and landed on the floor in front of her angry figure. She hadn't seemed to notice him for she was so angry, and so he proceeded to retrieve her. He was almost there when he was jerked backwards by something tearing through his coat. Seething, he pulled the sharp, shiny silver knife from his coat just as it embedded itself within the leather-like material. Tossing it to the floor, he brought this gaze up to meet that of Larxene's.

She looked absolutely infuriated, her posture defensive and hostile as she clenched her fists—it appeared she'd run out of knives. He wondered how this was when she seemed to always have some magically endless supply at her fingertips. His thought was cut short when she suddenly slid backwards, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from him. "What the hell do you want, you jerk? Did Axel send you to get me, like a little messenger boy?"

"Let's get this straight, you crazy witch—I'm no one's messenger boy," Marluxia spat back as he continued walking towards her. He stopped once he'd reached her, only about four feet of space between them, which, in his opinion, was too close for comfort. Annoyed again, he too crossed his arms and stared at the space she seemed so preoccupied with observing. "What the hell are you doing, you savage nymph?"

She snorted, the sound unpleasant and unladylike but funny enough to break the entirely too tense mood that had settled between them. "I'm looking at that statue back there, jack ass." She glanced at him, briefly. "What are you still doing out here? Waiting for something that is not going to happen? I am not coming inside with you. Tell Axel he can kiss my ass—I'm sick of him and his shit."

He carefully rubbed his temples. "I said I'm not your messenger boy. If you want tell Axel that, then be my guest. That guys pisses me off, and so do you but—"

She spun around at this, her face malicious. "I'm not making you stay. Why don't you both fucking leave my house? I don't need you assholes in my life. Get the hell out already…go and do something with your lives." She turned away again, her body stiff in the moon's silver beams of light. "I don't need any of you people bothering me anymore."

At this, something in him snapped. Before he knew what he was doing he had reached out, his hands clasping onto her shoulders and spinning her around to face him. Her look was stunned. She was so stupefied that she didn't have time to react violently. Instead, she went rigid in shock, her face clearly showing it, as he stepped closed, holding her firmly in his grip. "Listen up, I'm not here to deliver messages, and I didn't necessarily choose to come here. I have my own reasons for being here, and personally, I'd rather not have to come fetch you whenever something goes wrong. If this is going to be a pattern, then I'll gladly leave this dump you call your house. You're not the only one with a past you don't like and don't want to remember. Everyone in the world had problems, so why don't you try growing up?" She merely blinked, stupidly, and he rolled his eyes as he resumed his little speech. "What I'm saying is that you're being immature. Your little sister was just raped less than 12 hours ago and here you are being insensitive and mean when she's trying to find some comfort in this place."

"Excuse me?" She still made no move to become violent so he continued.

"Your sister, you twit, was just RAPED. What part of that don't you understand? Whatever happened in your past…you've just got to get over it, at least for now. Your little sister needs you. Axel was right. You need to stop being so selfish. What's in the past is in the past. I don't even know you but I can tell you have some growing up to do. So why don't you grow up and let it go?" He let his hands fall from her shoulders as he turned to leave. Before he disappeared down the pathway, he threw a small smirk over his shoulder. "By the way…the shocked look suits you. It's somewhat…dangerously attractive."

She gasped, taking it all in, flustered. "What the hell?"

He heard her shout as he vanished around the corner of the nearest statue. He could hear her cursing loudly as he hid from sight, falling back against the statue. '_Let it go…wow, Marluxia…why don't you learn to take your own advice…_' He inhaled sharply. '_Yeah…grow up…let it go._'

**:LINE BREAK:**

Tifa Lockhart waited patiently in the receptionist area of Attorney Kosaka's office, trying to ignore the hum of the Zen waterfall at the corner of the counter. Aerith was nowhere in sight but the office was noisy nonetheless. She was about to bang her fist on the glossed wood countertop when Aerith suddenly reappeared, her demeanor pleasant and cheerful as usual. When she spotted Tifa, her smile only widened. "Tifa, I'm so glad you could make it! Mr. Kosaka is in the back waiting for us. Come on."

Tifa glanced at Yuffie as the younger woman played with her pen and notepad, her mien questioning. Tifa nodded as they all proceeded to the back after Aerith locked the door and put the "out to lunch" sign on the knob. The back area was ominous with shockingly white painted walls and no decorations. Yuffie gave it all a disgusted look; Tifa frowned. Neither of them understood how an office could be so bare. Even hospitals were more exciting. However, Aerith didn't seem the least bit bothered by this as they walked down the hall, the flower girl humming cheerfully. At the back, before they'd arrived, Yuffie and Tifa could make out the outline of a single oak wood door with cherry stained lining and a single doorbell to the side. Aerith pressed the mechanism and a small chime was heard. All was silent until a voice came from above, most likely on a well-hidden intercom—Yuffie's imagination was running wild.

"Yes?" The voice was deep and booming in the empty hallway.

Aerith leaned over the door as a microphone slid out. This must have been normal, Tifa figured, as Aerith casually took the gadget and spoke into it. "Hi, Mr. Kosaka, they're here. I have locked up the office. Is there anything more you would like me to do for now?"

"No, that will be all. Thank you." There was a _whirr-click_ sound like that of a camera and the door slowly opened. "Come in."

Tifa and Yuffie both gave the door a skeptical look until they saw a desk appear and a swivel chair come into view, though the person had the chair turned around so that he couldn't be seen. They stepped inside, gingerly taking their seats in the available chairs while Aerith closed the doors behind her. It was a mere moment until the chair swiveled around to reveal Attorney Kosaka. Yuffie almost fell out of her chair while Tifa simply nodded. Tifa had worked, indirectly, with Mr. Kosaka several times though she'd only met him once and he had been partially hidden from view. Yuffie had never seen him before and so she was shocked at how young and handsome he was in real life. His face was serious and there were no traces of a smile on his lips; he was positively debonair. Tifa rolled her eyes at her friends display, somewhat shocked and embarrassed that Yuffie couldn't seem to control herself from drooling or looking like a giggly high school girl. Instead, Tifa extended her hand in his direction, trying to appear as professional as possible given Yuffie's obvious flop.

"Good afternoon Mr. Kosaka. I am Dr. Tifa Lockhart, not sure if you remember me from previous cases. I called earlier to inquire about a Child Sexual Assault case. Aerith tells me you are the best, or she has in the past."

He glanced at her hand for a moment before taking it in his own. "Charmed, really, Dr. Lockhart. And I am flattered." He leaned back in his chair, eyeing her. "So…tell me more about this…case you've decided to bring to me. I hear from Aerith you are missing pieces and the survivor has not actually filed a police report of the incident."

"No, she did not. Her friends brought her in last night around midnight. She's only 17 and there are no records of her in our database," Tifa replied. She watched as he leaned back in his chair, silver hair flawless as he nodded, still listening. "I do believe, though, that it is a valid case. However…there is a complication." He looked particularly interested all of a sudden. "You see…the girl's father…her friend told me, last night, that he is the man who runs KH International INC. I'm sure you've heard of him, right, Mr. Kosaka?"

"Sumitse? The business tycoon? Who hasn't, Dr. Lockhart?"

She sighed. "Well, Aerith tells me you're the only Attorney willing to take him on. He has so much money and power…we're afraid the case will go straight to "closed" status if it gets to court. Well, if it gets past the DA anyway."

He looked thoughtful, his green eyes staring at her hard. "Yes, this is a dilemma. Taking down someone like Sumitse will be extremely difficult. It will take a lot of cooperation from the survivor and her family as well as the hospital that is holding her records." He drummed his fingertips on his desk. "Indeed…you present a good case here, Dr. Lockhart." He reached for his phone. "Aerith, can you please get the necessary paperwork for this type of case? And let Strife's superior know that the pinhead is going to be busy for quite some time. I'm calling the police department."

"Right away, sir!" She said, saluting briefly before disappearing through a side door.

Mr. Kosaka turned back to her. "All right. I'll take the case. In the meantime, Aerith will collect your numbers and information so that I may keep you updated. In any event, you should probably get back to work, right, Dr. Lockhart?"

She gaped. "That's it? You're willing to take him on just like that?" Even Yuffie was dumbfounded. "I don't think you grasp the seriousness of this case, Mr. Kosaka. Did you miss the part where I said how much power and money this bastard has to his name? How many friends he might have all over?"

He smiled at her though it was somewhat eerie. "Oh, I think I do, Doctor. You see, you're not the only one who wants to see that man burn in the fiery depths of hell. Aerith, please show them out. We shouldn't keep the good doctor from her work. After all, there are many in need of a good, certified doctor." Tifa opened her mouth to protest what she believed was mockery of her profession. However, as she was being ushered out, she heard him call to them. "Oh, and Dr. Lockhart, please, call me Sephiroth."

She felt her cheeks burn. _'Why that insufferable son of a bitch!_' She was all ready to break the steel door down when Aerith appeared again, smiling as usual. "Is he always that arrogant?"

Aerith giggled. "Well, Sephiroth is the best of the best! He's more powerful than you think. Besides," she giggled again. "He was just teasing you Tifa. He does really think you're a good doctor. I mean, you've been published, remember? He reads the Twilight Town Tribunal, and I mean he reads the entire thing. He's heard about your accomplishments." She turned to Yuffie quickly. "And yours too, Yuff." The younger woman blushed furiously. "You two are some of the top medical personnel that Twilight Town Hospital has ever had. So please don't think he was making fun of you."

Tifa grumbled. "Hmm…sounds like you two are awfully chummy. Does Cloud know about this?"

Aerith blushed. "No, it's not like that. Cloud…Sephiroth and I were…playmates when we were little. Didn't I already tell you that?"

"No," Tifa replied, annoyed.

"You are so stubborn!" Aerith said as her brow knitted against its own accord. "Yes, we used to be playmates when we were little and Sephiroth, he…well, he liked me…and I'm not sure, sometimes, if he ever got over it but…I told him I liked Cloud." Tifa looked skeptical. "Oh, stop! I'm in love with Cloud and I always have been, so stop harassing me about it!"

'_You weren't the only one._' Tifa waved her away as she dragged Yuffie towards the entrance. "Yeah, yeah…just keep me updated, all right? Thanks. Bye!"

Aerith could only clench her fists in annoyance as she let out a hiss. '_Damn that Tifa…' _

**:LINE BREAK: **

Cloud fiddled with his badge as his superior lectured him on the usage of sense in a hostile situation. Usually he was the one giving the lecture, but his most recent assignment hadn't gone the way he'd planned and for once, he acted before he thought. Sighing inwardly, he waited for the lecture to be over so he could grab some late lunch. He was supposed to meet Aerith in ten minutes since Mr. Kosaka, thankfully, allowed her to eat out while the office was closed. He had pretty much tuned out everything his superior was saying, which was why when he was asked to respond, his answer was, "Yes, if that's what you have to do. I accept." He knew he was on auto-pilot at that point.

"Were you even listening, Strife?"

"Of course Ma'am," Cloud answered, not really sure what she'd asked.

"Oh, were you? Well then, tell me Strife—because it really doesn't seem like you'd let this go without a fight—you're saying you don't mind giving up your badge for the next two months?" She smirked when his face turned white.

"What? I never agreed to that!" He yelled.

"You just did, which proves you WEREN'T LISTENING!" She shouted. "I SHOULD take your badge away just for that, you idiot!"

"Superior Payne, no!" He quickly stuffed his badge into his pants. "Listen, can't we talk about this later? I have to meet someone right now."

"Your girlfriend, for lunch? Cloud, do I have to stress how important your job is?" Cloud shook his head. "Then don't tell me stupid shit like that! I will have that badge in ten minutes, so help me…or I'll—" The phone in her office suddenly rang loudly. Swearing, Payne picked it up. "Hello? Yes, this is she. Oh, hello Ms. Gainsborough. I apologize but we're in a very important meeting and I cannot allow him to leave for—excuse me?" Silence followed for a few minutes but when Payne's eyes narrowed, Cloud knew the worst had happened. "What? Tell that asshole he cannot go ordering people around, especially not me! Does he even remember who I am? He doesn't? Tell him I'm the fucking head chief of the FBI and he cannot order me to give one of my—how dare he! Son of a bitch!" She was fuming so loudly that Cloud had to strain to not laugh as he noticed his fellow detectives and co-workers gathering around the office. "He's going to what? FUCK HIM! TELL HIM THAT!" A few more minutes passed of her cussing into the phone before she slammed it on the receiver. She threw Cloud a begrudging look as she fell into her chair behind her desk. "Strife, get your gun and go down to weapons storage and exchange it for a damned Beretta. You're not going to need that M-16 where you're going. Tell Detective Yuna to give you clearance. Now get the hell out of my office. I don't want to see you till this next case is done."

"Yes, Ma'am." He silently saluted her before high tailing out of the tense room. He quickly passed all his co workers, not making eye contact until he reached his desk. Sitting across from him was his partner, Detective Yuna, smiling cheerfully as she looked at a file for a recent homicide case. "Yuna, do you know anything about a new case?"

She nodded. "The superior just informed me that you have a Sexual Assault case that was just called in. I think you were jus tin her office when it happened, weren't you?"

Cloud blinked. "That's my case? It's just a Sexual Assault case? She made it sound like a homicide case with the way she was cussing out my girlfriend on the phone!"

"It's a serious case, not JUST a Sexual Assault case. Sexual Assault cases are VERY serious Cloud," Yuna snapped.

He put his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean it like that," he replied as he fell into his own chair. "So what's the big deal about this case?"

"Well, the rapist is supposedly some big shot, business tycoon—the head of KH International; ever heard of him?" She inquired.

Cloud nodded. "Sumitse or something? I don't know his first name but…yeah; he's supposedly really huge, really powerful." He thought for a moment. "You're right…I get it now. This is going to be a hard case. But why did she choose me to do it?"

Yuna chuckled. "Apparently someone requested you and demanded that you do it. Someone named Attorney Kosaka."

The blonde haired man scowled. "Why that asshole…"

"Eh, get over it Strife. Kosaka's saved your ass more times than I can count. In fact, he just saved your ass again, didn't he?" She reached for her lunch; a box of chow mien. "Well, I'd say take it and run with it. Better that job then no work for two months, right?" Cloud's scowl deepened as Yuna tossed his a car, which he caught between his fingers. "Anyway, here's your clearance. See you in two months, Strife. Good luck."

As he stood up to leave, he shook his head. "Gee, thanks Yuna. I'm going to need it."

**:LINE BREAK: **

Sephiroth sighed as he rubbed his forehead, dropping his expensive briefcase onto his bed. Another long day at work meant, of course, more work for him; but the new case he'd received from Doctor Lockhart was going to be anything but easy. He already knew that when she'd mentioned the name Sumitse in his office. '_What in the world was I thinking when I took a job as an Attorney?_' Sighing again, he sat down on his mattress, ignoring the fact that there were whip cream stains and ketchup all over the floor. He knew his brothers had been at it again, and he really hated them sometimes, especially after work. He swore they were completely infantile though two of them were in college and the other about to graduate high school. Readying himself for the impending battle, he opened the door just in time to catch the youngest run by; he quickly snatched him up by the collar of his leather jacket. Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Sephiroth brought his younger brother to eye level. "And just where do you think you're running off to Kadaj?"

The young man smiled nervously, batting at his brother's hands. "Nowhere. Is something wrong?"

"What kind of question is that, you twit? Just look at my bedroom!"

Kadaj immediately cowered. "It was Yazoo's fault this time!"

"It was not, you little asshole!" Yazoo's voice could be heard nearing them, presumably to defend his name from all accusations. "It was Loz's fault and his, too!" He pointed at Kadaj. "I was at work until ten minutes ago!"

"Hey! I wasn't here either. I was with mom!" Loz interjected, emerging from the bathroom with a magazine. "What the hell did you do Kadaj?" He peered inside their older brother's room and let out a whistle at the ketchup stains and whipped cream dripping from the bedspread. "Oh man…Seph's going to kill you now!"

"My name is Sephiroth, Loz, you idiot. Don't call me Seph," came the irritated reply as he dropped Kadaj to the floor. He gave them all an angry look. "Clean it up. I want it gone in ten minutes when I get out of the shower." Grabbing his towels, the silver haired man made his way towards the bathroom, his steps annoyed. Just as he was about to slam the door, he threw them a loathing look. "If it's not done, then that is your allowance money for a week, Kadaj." Yazoo and Loz laughed. "And as for you two, that means no living here for the next four. Move it."

Their protests died in their throats when Sephiroth slammed the door. Kadaj stuck his tongue out at Yazoo as Loz punched the floor, hard. "Haha, losers. At least he can't kick ME out of the house."

"Oh yeah? But who's to say we're not going to kick your ass?" Loz asked as he reached for the youngest of the three/ Kadaj quickly hopped up ad ran to the backyard, his steps fast as he let out a shriek. Loz was dumbfounded for a moment before Yazoo hit him over the head. "Come back here you crybaby!"

From his position in the hallway, Yazoo let out a bitter yell. "Hey, why do I always have to clean up after you two fucking pinheads?" Bothered, he stomped to the kitchen, picked up a wet cloth and went about cleaning until his brother's stopped fighting. He figured once they were done, Sephiroth would let him torture them, personally. Smiling maliciously, he began thinking of a good plan. '_Oh, this is going to be great._'

Meanwhile, in the shower, Sephiroth let the water run over his nude form, relishing in the beads of water as they trickled down his skin in a soothing manner. His mind was trying desperately to relax but with his destructive brothers unsupervised during the day, he figured he might as well kiss his money and luxurious lifestyle goodbye. He hadn't realized it until the week prior, but he'd already cleaned his bedspread at the dry cleaners 15 times in one week and had the carpet shampooed 25 times in one week. '_God dammit Kadaj! Why'd mom have to leave you with me?_' His mom had pretty much abandoned Kadaj when he was about 14, and since then, Kadaj had been under his legal care. Loz and Yazoo had been older, but they were also in his care at one point. Once they were old enough he'd told them to go to college and to get jobs—he wouldn't support them past 17 years old. However, with real estate prices at an all time high he understood why they needed to move back in with him. He had left their rooms completely untouched while they'd been gone; the thought of cleaning up after teenage boys disgusted him like no other.

Out of the three, Yazoo was his favorite, if he had to choose. Yazoo was more like him, cynical and clever. He liked to plan things out and take action; he was an intellectual, which is what Sephiroth liked. Loz was, more or less, an idiot in how he acted—he always acted then thought later. Kadaj was a smart ass little troublemaker, and to Sephiroth, it would never change. However, he knew all his brothers were smart. Then there was his step-brother, Riku. Riku and Kadaj were only a year apart and Riku was the child of an affair his father had right after Kadaj was born. However, when their mother left and their father died, Sephiroth became more involved in Riku's life, even though Riku lived with his actual birth mother, who didn't know if Riku living with Sephiroth was such a good idea. He had been insulted, at first, by her blatant denial of his skills as a guardian. But after living with his three blood brothers for a year he decided that she'd made the right decision. They kept in contact for Riku's sake, and his little step-brother visited them once every other day. He usually came to the house after school with Yazoo and Loz, who treated him like a brother, not a half/step brother. However, today was an off day and Riku was probably with his best friend or a group of friends. Sephiroth didn't think too much into it as he started shampooing his hair, which was becoming increasingly difficult with how long it had become in the past few months.

His mind kept drifting in and out of different trains of thought from the case to his brothers to their jobs to Dr. Lockhart to Aerith and then back to the case. Truth be told, he had never quite gotten over the whole Cloud and Aerith thing. When they were younger he had told her he liked her; but she refused him, denied him. She loved Cloud. 'I don't know what she sees in that idiot,' he mused as he lathered the shampoo in his hair. '_He's such an idiot_.' Jealousy was one of his weak points, though he'd never admit it to anyone but himself. Sighing, he began washing his hair out, his thought returning to Dr. Lockhart. He'd worked with her a couple times before now, though indirectly, and he couldn't seem to recall her being so fiery. It was endearing on her, especially since she was like Aerith; she looked so kind and gentle. But he knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Annoyed at where this was going, he quickly rinsed himself off, forgetting to condition his hair, grabbed his towel to dry off and threw the door open. He wasn't surprised to find Yazoo grumpily putting the finishing touches on his room while Kadaj and Loz continued fighting in the back yard. As he passed Yazoo in the hallway he nodded his approval before slamming the door shut. Yazoo let an evil smirk place his lips as he started towards the back.

"Oh Loz, Kadaj, come here for a minute!" Both young men stopped arguing and fighting, turning towards the door as if they'd seen a ghost. Yazoo stood in the doorway, his smirk widening with each passing second as he lifted a finger, beckoning them to him. "Dear brothers, I thought you might like to…play a game."

Kadaj let out a yelp as he wiggled free of Loz's gasp. "Oh shit! Fuck that!"

A minute passed before Loz realized what was happening. Regaining sense, he made a mad dash after his younger brother. "Crap! Kadaj, wait for me! Don't leave me with this psycho!"

Yazoo took off after them, laughing the whole time. "What's the matter? Don't cry Loz!"

Inside his room, Sephiroth put his earplugs in to block out the noise that would ensue. Quite used to this routine, he settled back into his bed, his glass of water and Sword Collecting Magazine right next to him. '_Ah…nothing like peace and quiet after work.' _

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

_(Welpers, all! There is chapter 6. Still, not much else to say except there will still be new people coming in and out, and, hopefully, the time will come to reveal what happened in Marlu AND Larxy's pasts. It just takes time so please don't be discouraged! That's all. Please R&R! Thank you soooooooooo much! Until next time!)_

**_Sadistickunais_**


	7. Vague

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think? _

**A/N: So here it is, chapter 7! All the same rules still apply. There will continue to be boy/boy love (sorry all—it's not the main pairing) and Mature themes (I.E. incase you STILL haven't noticed at this point, that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people…blah, blah, blah…) and that means NO YOUNGINS! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. More people are entering the picture, though slowly. I am working hard to keep them in character as well as making them stay in character of the story too. Hm…well, the content is getting a bit heavier and research is necessary at this point so…hopefully no on is getting discouraged by the infrequency? Well, please R&R. Enjoy. **

**Word coding:** ' _Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

**Vague **

Sora let out a sigh of boredom as he stared at the ice cream maker before him. The stupid contraption needed to be repaired and thus caused him to have to close the entire store down by himself when his co-worker went home with the runs. '_Too much dairy, she says. Yeah right. She's probably just lazy._' He had already cleaned everything up, wiped down the counters, checked the thermostats on the freezers, etc. Now all he was waiting for was the repair guy to come fix the machine so they could be open tomorrow. He really hated being the good guy sometimes, being stuck with all the work no one else wanted to do. His boss could count on him and so, he was trapped. He hated almost all of his co-workers. The only perk he received was that he got a higher pay than the rest of the idiots in the shop; but when one didn't get Friday and Saturday off half the time, it wasn't that much of a consolation, he found. Sighing again, he fell back on the chair located next to the freezer, his uniform and cap in his arms as he waited. He'd been waiting for well over an hour, which pissed him off since Roxas and Namine had invited him over for a little get together the day before. He was thoroughly pissed because they couldn't always all find good times to hang out, so when it happened, it was a golden opportunity. Their schedules were always so hectic with Namine living with her stepfather, Roxas living with his boyfriend and Sora always working. '_And then there's school…_' Knitting his brow, he reached into his pocket when he felt his cell phone vibrating.

'_What the…?_' He hardly ever got text messages, and from Roxas at that. He quickly flipped open his phone and let out a somewhat relieved breath at the message. Nevertheless, he was kind of upset that they wouldn't be able to hang out—he'd been looking forward to it. "Well, at least I won't be late." He was about to doze off when he heard a loud knock at the door. '_It must be the Repair man_.' But when he made it to the clear glass door, he saw Roxas waiting there, his face troubled. Pulling the keys from his pocket, Sora let his friend in and they went to the back. "Roxas, what are you doing here? You just sent me this text, didn't you?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah…I did."

Sora chuckled. "If you were coming, why bother? You're just going to raise your bill with the messaging rates."

"It's included in my phone plan, for the fifth time you moron," Roxas replied, his voice and tone still somber.

Sora took notice of this and frowned. "Um…is something wrong, man? You're acting weird."

"There's a reason for why we're not…hanging out today," Roxas replied, tossing his phone back and forth between his hands. "Um…Namine…she was…don't freak out Sora, well, not too much ok?" Sora gave him a blank look. "The reason why Namine didn't come to school is because…um…she was raped about a day ago, around midnight."

Sora felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head as he processed what his friend had said. He felt his heartbeat quicken as he reached for Roxas, shaking him violently. "What? Are you fucking kidding me? This is a joke right? But man, if it is…that's a sick ass joke Roxas, even for you!"

"Why would I joke about this?"

Shaking, Sora let go of his friend, clenching his fists to try and calm himself. "Who…who was the bastard, son of a bitch who did it?"

"Her step-father."

The brown haired youth's eyes widened. "Why that…dirty, sick, perverted asshole…Namine was…how…"

"She's staying with us right now. The reason I'm here is because she asked me to come and get you. She wants…to return to a sense of normalcy…especially since she knows he's looking for her. She feels safest with us, she said," Roxas said, his eyes solemn as he pointed towards the door. "Are you...up for it?"

Sora could feel his body shaking with undiluted rage. "Yeah, I…I gotta wait for this stupid fucking machine to get fixed." He looked at Roxas, his eyes narrowed and burning in anger. "I'll catch up. Meet you in an hour?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, I'll let Namine know." Just as he was out the door, he turned to his friend. "Just…don't do anything stupid, Sora. Namine needs us."

With that, he was gone, leaving Sora to himself in the empty, silent ice cream parlor. He squeezed his gloves so hard that they gave him glove burn (is that even possible?) on his hands, causing them to redden. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so angry with anyone. Greatly angered and annoyed that he couldn't leave right away, Sora settled for seething until he was able to make it to Larxene's. Once there, he vowed he was going to have a long venting session. He was hell bent on beating something up when there was another knock on the door. He hoped above hope that it was the repair man but was disappointed—though not entirely—to find that it was Kairi, and to his amazement, minus Riku. She usually brought her best friend when she came to visit him, which didn't really bother him. Riku was a cool guy and they usually were paired up together in class since Roxas and Namine were more artistic. But today seemed like a special treat—he felt he needed it after the news—since she was alone and they could talk about stuff other than school, siblings and work. Nodding to her, he opened the door to allow her inside. She gingerly took a seat at one of the little booths when she noticed his expression.

"Hi Sora. Um…you seem a little preoccupied. Is everything all right?"

He chuckled somberly. "Is it really that obvious?" She shook her head. "Yeah…um…I just got some bad news, that's ll. It's not…don't worry about it. So, I see you've neglected to bring Riku. Where is he?"

She let out a steady breath. "Oh, he went to visit his brothers because today is visiting day for him. I see you've neglected to go home. What happened?"

"Ah…the stupid ice cream maker broke and Anna said she had to go home, something about having the runs," he said. "Of course…like I'd believe her and that bullshit she tells everyone. She's probably just being lazy or doing her boyfriend…it never fails. But my boss said it was ok, and I offered to stay until the machine was fixed so…"

Kairi laughed as she patted his back. "Sora, sometimes I think you're TOO nice. You should've just said no. I mean, didn't you have a hang out with Roxas and Namine planned for today?" He tensed and Kairi raised a brow. "Oh I…uh…was it something I said?"

He let his head fall in his hands. "No, it's nothing. I'm just really tired. I'm supposed to head over there later, after this damned thing is fixed. Do you…want to come with me? I'm sure Roxas and Namine won't mind; Namine thinks you're super sweet."

Kairi snorted. "I'll bet she does…she's sweeter than me. I'm not all that nice…"

"I think you're nice," Sora interjected before she could say more, giving her a sheepish smile.

"Oh…thank you. I think you're nice too, Sora." She felt her cheeks flush a little as she looked away from him. She glanced at her watch. "Do you think I could stay here with you until it's time to go? I'll hide so the repair man won't see me and you won't get in trouble." He blinked. "It's just that…I don't want to go home right now." She bit her lip. "I…I'd like to go to Larxene's. It's been a while, anyway."

"All right. Let me just check in with my brother, ok?" He flipped open his cell phone and dialed the necessary number, waiting patiently—it seemed to be a trend all day—for his brother to pick up. "Hello? Hi, it's me. Yeah, I know. Yes, I KNOW, gee…give me some credit Leon. No, I won't be in till later. You said it was fine for me to go over Larxene's today. Uh-huh, I do. Fine, fine. Bye." He hung up, seemingly exasperated as Kairi gave him a questioning look. "It's nothing. Leon's just being an ass because he works late tonight. Come to think of it…it's been at least seven years and I don't know what my brother does."

"Well, didn't you say he barely started living with you like…a year and a half ago or something?" Kairi asked. Sora agreed. "Hm…and he does have to watch you when your mom goes out on business trips and stuff. Speaking of, where did she go now?"

He shrugged. "Er…I think she went to Radiant Garden or…uh…what's the place called again…" he seemed to be searching for an answer. "Oh yeah, Port Royal in England or something. She's been pretty busy."

"And your dad?"

He shrugged again. "I think he's in Destiny Island or something. Then he's supposed to meet up with her at Radiant Garden. Yeah, that's it. So in the meantime…yeah, Leon's babysitting and he's a damned tyrant. I don't know why I couldn't stay home alone. I'm 17 ½ fer chrissake…you think they'd trust me a little more."

Kairi giggled. "I suppose…but you know, my Uncle Lexaeus says that you're not an adult until you're 21 years old." Sora grunted and Kairi frowned. "Although…if it were up to my Uncle Lexaeus, he'd probably make sure teenagers didn't have fun. It surprises me that he lets me do anything. HE'S a real tyrant."

"Yeah, he is," Sora agreed again while pulling out the keys to open the door. "But he seems to care about you; he has a big heart, I think." It appeared that the repair man had arrived. "Hopefully this will only take about an hour."

About an hour later found Sora ad Kairi making their way through the dimly lit streets of Twilight Town to Larxene's Mansion. It was far away enough from the town that she never had to interact with people, which, Sora and Kairi had been informed, she really liked. The sun was barely setting and the afternoon air was cool enough that Kairi could put her sweater on. They walked at a leisurely pace, talking amicably while Sora had his hands crossed behind his head, and Kairi hand hers in her sweater pockets. Every now and then he'd crack a stupid joke, causing her to laugh out loud as they continued on their way. When the mansion came into view, Sora felt the ominous feelings return to him, especially since Kairi knew nothing about it as he'd chosen not to tell her. He hoped Roxas and Namine would stay silent as well. He didn't feel like talking about it at all; he'd be too angry. They were both greeted at the entrance by three older men arguing in the setting sun. In truth it made a funny picture and he would've laughed if it'd been abnormal. But he was so used to it that he merely waved as he passed them. Kairi did the same, knowing it well enough, too. They were almost to the door when Sora suddenly turned around, which caused Kairi to run into his back, as he realized that of the three men, he only knew two.

"Hey, hate to interrupt you all in the middle of your usual fights but…who the hell is this guy?" He pointed at the tall, brown haired man standing between Axel and Demyx.

Axel greeted him, seeming exacerbated. "Hi Sora, Kairi. This asshole is Marluxia, a dear old friend of Demyx."

"Why do you keep branding me as an asshole you jerk? You don't even know me!" Marluxia retorted with his nose turned up in the air. Demyx laughed. "Shut the hell up you pansy! No one asked for your input either!"

Kairi blinked. "Um…well, it's nice to meet you Marluxia. Demyx, Axel, I'll just be inside." She waved to Sora as she entered, closing the door behind her since Sora had decided to engage in their argument.

"Oh, well, hi. I'm Sora Leonhart. Nice to meet you…and you sound homophobic. Are you?"

Marluxia nodded, still not looking at him. "Yeah, a little."

"Well…what the hell are you doing here, then? This house is full of gay people," Sora responded, curious.

Demyx chuckled. "Ah…Mar got over that when he discovered I was gay, Sora. He's fine…he just likes to argue with Axel because Axel says he looks like a drag queen because he's too pretty to be straight."

"Shut the fuck up, Demyx, before I slit your throat!" Came a harassed shout from inside. "You're so fucking loud and your girly voice gets on my last nerve!"

"Larxene, go back to reading you psychopath!" Axel shouted.

"It's so nice that you made up," Roxas said as he appeared from the side of the house. He waved to Sora. "Namine and Kairi are inside baking cookies. Larxene requested them and you know Namine…she does anything to get closer to Larxene."

"Though I can't see why ANYONE in their right mind would do that," Marluxia snapped. "I'd throw her to a pool of rabid sharks if given the option and chance to do so."

Sora raised a brow. He'd noticed it, just barely, that the whole time Marluxia had been arguing with Axel and Demyx, that he had yet to open his eyes. "How come your eyes are closed?"

Marluxia gave a groan of annoyance. "Because I'd rather not see these two idiots and lose my superb vision as a result of their ugliness."

"Hey!" Axel protested. "I am very sexy, for your information."

"Gag me," Marluxia replied.

"Gladly. Just kneel down a like a good boy." Axel laughed. Marluxia made a disgusted noise.

Sora blinked. "Um…but isn't that weird? I don't like talking to people who don't look at me…"

"Fine, I'll look at you, brat…you sound so annoying, I—" As soon as Marluxia opened his eyes his statement died in his throat. He gave Sora a funny look over before turning away. Immediately he started walking to the gates of the mansion, his steps brisk and shaken. "I just…remembered I…have something to do. Don't ask me questions Demyx or I'll neuter you. Bye."

Everybody blinked, stupefied as Marluxia disappeared outside the gates and into the night, since the sun had pretty much set at that point. Sora was the first to speak. "Um…would anyone mind telling me what's going on? That was awfully rude…he didn't even say hello."

"I have no fucking clue," Axel offered. "He's weird." Roxas nodded in agreement. "Hey, Demyx do you…" He trailed off as Demyx shook his head, making a beeline towards the door. "Demyx? Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you. Sorry, Axel," Demyx answered as he closed the door behind him.

Axel felt sudden annoyance course through him. "What the hell is going on? Man…this shit is weird, even for me."

Sora whistled lightly. "Hmm…well, I'm going to go see Namine and Kairi. Roxas, are you coming?" The blonde nodded and proceeded to follow his friend inside. "Later, Axel."

"Assholes!" Axel shouted at their disappearing forms.

Once they were gone he leaned against the nearest pillar, his eyes narrowed and brow knitted in thought as he tried to decipher what had just occurred. It seemed odd to him that Demyx's mood suddenly changed when Marluxia left, especially since Demyx was usually so cheerful. Frustrated by the quick turn of events, Axel marched back into the house where he fell onto the couch next to Zexion, who was quietly reading a thick book. It made Axel want to sleep just looking at it. Demyx was nowhere in sight and he could hear the four teens in the kitchen baking, which sounded more like having a food fight. He rolled his eyes; the only food fight he wanted to participate in was one that involved dominating Roxas and then, licking food off of his naked body. Smiling devilishly, he crept towards the kitchen for a quick peak. What he found was amusing: Roxas had chocolate splattered across his face and arms while Sora was spraying Kairi with whipped cream. Namine was holding a bag of sugar, about to dump it over Roxas' head, but Kairi managed to dodge Sora's attack and poured heavy whipping cream down Namine's dress. The blonde haired girl erupted into a fit of shrieks and giggles as the cool liquid spill onto her skin, causing her to drop the sugar on Roxas' head where it, too, spilled on his hair and the floor. At that exact moment Sora took a step forward and slipped on the mixture of creamer and sugar, sending him flying into Kairi, who tripped on his feet. Eventually they both smacked into the table legs, almost breaking them, while Roxas and Namine howled with laughter.

Axel shook his head, remembering when he'd been that young and carefree. '_It's times like these I wish I had a camera._' He smirked as he stood straighter. "Hey, hey! Watch it with that, we just went shopping yesterday!" More laughter followed and he was ignored.

**:ANOTHER LINE BREAK: **

Upstairs, Larxene made a face as she tried, intently, to ignore the joyful shouts coming from downstairs by burying her nose in her book. She could hear Axel rambling on and on, mainly to Zexion, about her being a heinous bitch, which she knew was true. But he did not ALWAYS have to rub it in her face on a daily basis. Sighing, she leaned against her bedpost, running her fingers over the worn cover as she stared at the thick, cream colored curtain blocking the moon's intrusive beams of light. She already knew that Namine would be sleeping over in Axel and Roxas' room; it annoyed her that they were the ones Namine trusted. She felt her face flame at her own inadequacy to be the big sister in Namine's life, to be the guardian that she knew she should be. Even though her mother had not named her the rightful guardian—she was still bitter about it like no other—she still felt as if she was.

Their step father was not what one would consider a good parent or role model, especially with what she knew about hi. She hated him with a passion few understood and would probably never understand. Snarling at the thought of him, Larxene suddenly threw her book at the floor, successfully smashing her last box of cigarettes to pieces and rendering them useless to her. '_Fucking wonderful…and now I have to go to the store to buy more…unless Axel has some, that ass._' Focusing on her new train of thought, Larxene proceeded to find Axel and his pack of fresh cigarettes. She suddenly felt like a nicotine fix and she just knew he had some leftover since he didn't like cigarettes too much. And she knew he was still around since she could hear him screaming at the kids downstairs. She already knew, without even looking at him, that he was probably oogling Roxas from outside the kitchen or wherever the hell was at that moment in time. So when she peeked through her door to find him, she was immediately given a full view of his flame red hair.

As for him, he was still smiling when Larxene emerged, face stony and annoyed, the click of her opening door signaling her presence. He glared at her. "What is it now?"

"What's that racket?" She inquired with her crushed box of cigarettes in one hand while the other gripped the stair rail.

"The kids are playing. Do you have a problem with that?" He shot her another glare.

She scowled. "No, I just don't have money to paying for broken furniture."

"It's fine. Go back to reading, crazy ass," he shot back.

"Bite me, gay boy!" She snapped in return as she went back to her room, slamming the door to emphasize how irritated she was with him. She huffed as she fell onto her bed, not quite ready for another argument with the pyromaniac. She stared at the ceiling, blankly, and cursed herself for not remembering why she'd even gone out in the first place. True, the racket was slightly annoying but not enough to wake her up since everyone knew she had earplugs and such for just these occasions. Annoyed again, she rolled over and stared at her book lying across from her on the hardwood floor. '_Oh, yeah, that's right. I wanted cigarettes._' Sighing, she stood up, again, and went out her door to where Axel was STILL perched in his same spot in the kitchen doorway. "Axel, give me a cigarette. I want one."

He looked up at her, surprised. "What?"

"You heard me, you dumbass. Give me a cigarette," she repeated, his posture hostile.

"Why?" He asked, smirking.

"If you do, then I'll…" she thought for a moment before clenching her fists in annoyance; she already knew what he wanted and it made her angry to admit defeat. However, she continuously tried to mentally convince herself it was NOT defeat. "I'll…leave Namine alone for awhile." He raised a brow and she flushed, realizing that, alone, the statement sounded like defeat. "She's annoying anyway…I don't have time for her and pity parties. And stop smirking you shit."

He nodded before tossing her his box of cigarettes. She was delighted to see he'd smoked but one. She turned to leave but not before she caught his relieved comment. "That's what I like to hear."

She hesitated for a moment though it appeared he had already dismissed her presence since he was staring at the kids in the kitchen once again. She felt glued to her spot by his words and expression but managed, after a couple more seconds, to force herself back into the solitude of her room. Falling on the bed, Larxene lit up a cigarette and stared at the ceiling as she inhaled its contents. Her heart was hammering in her chest at his words, the phrase continually repeating itself in her head. They did not want her around Namine, they didn't want her to hurt the young woman. And suddenly Marluxia words from the night prior, pierced through her train of thought, stabbing her like a thousand hot, poisoned needles.

_"Whatever happened in your past…you've just got to get over it, at least for now. Your little sister needs you. Axel was right. You need to stop being so selfish. What's in the past is in the past. I don't even know you but I can tell you have some growing up to do. So why don't you grow up and let it go?" _

_You need to stop being so selfish. _

_stop being so selfish _

_SELFISH _

Closing her eyes tightly, Larxene brought an arm to cover them as she felt the tears start to swell up behind her closed lids. Shaking her head, she let the cigarette burn, not sure what it was that she really wanted.

Once she'd disappeared again, Axel couldn't help but let out a relieved yet still irritated breath. '_She swears…she knows both of us have more than enough money to repair this place in a matter of freakin months…crazy ass…and she needs to stop smoking that bullshit…_' He shook his head as he continued to watch his boyfriend play, enjoying the warmth the four of the young adults were radiating. He couldn't remember a time when he'd seen Roxas' happier, with the exception of when they made love at night. Just the thought of his younger counterpart moaning and writhing in ecstasy beneath him brought a smile to his forlorn face. He thoroughly enjoyed everything that involved the name Roxas' in it, even the fact that, aside from Larxene and his parents, when Roxas became mad, his young lover had one of the foulest tempers he'd encountered. Shaking his head, he moved from his perch on the doorframe to where Zexion and Demyx were sitting on the living room couch in utter silence. Zexion was reading a book; Demyx just looked completely spaced out, not to mention troubled at the same time. Axel didn't know if that was possible but he figured if Demyx was demonstrating it now, then it must be possible indeed. Gathering his wits about him, Axel dropped his lithe form next to the troubled musician, smiling.

"Oh, Demy…what's the problem this time? Feel like sharing with your old buddy Axel?"

"No," Demyx replied, his tone blank and face blanker. He fidgeted nervously as he glanced around, looking for someone or something. "So…any word from Marluxia?"

"Um…no, especially since he left literally ten minutes ago." Axel raised a brow. "Does he have a cell phone or something to reach him?"

"Um…yeah…but his number's in my phone and I left it at the house," the dirty blonde answered.

"Well, you can go get it, you know," Zexion mentioned, still not taking his eyes of his book. "You only live about five blocks away and they aren't long blocks either."

"Er…"

Zexion sighed. "Stop being lazy Axel. It's not like anyone said you HAD to go with Demyx to get them anyway."

"I'm not lazy!" The retort was short and non-threatening.

"Sure you aren't. You're as lazy as they come," Roxas shouted from the kitchen. "You're lazier than—watch out, Namine! Sora, that's fucking colder than the creamer!"

"Well, it is ice, Roxas," Kairi said, giggling. "Namine, no! That stuff stains…shit…!"

"You guys, I can't move my shoe; it's stuck. What is—fuck! Is this gum?" Sora's voice was tinged with disbelief. "Holy fuck shit…my brand new shoes have gum on them! Roxas, I know it was you! I'm going to fucking decapitate you with this spoon!"

"Sora, be careful! You're going to—oh…too late…" There was another loud crash followed by Kairi laughing, Roxas cursing and Namine speaking. "I meant to tell you…Roxas had the cookie dough bowl."

Sora let out another curse. "Man…and I'm really hungry, Roxas, you dolt. I've been waiting and waiting…"

His voice trailed off as Kairi's came in. "It's ok, Sora. Namine and I will make you some uh…eggs or something. Or maybe even some rice balls." Padding of feet around the kitchen could be heard. "Hey, Roxas, do you guys have any rice?"

Axel interjected this time. "Hey, there should be some already cooked in the rice cooker. Feel free to eat as much as you want to."

"Thanks Axel," Kairi answered happily. "Come on Namine—let's make some riceballs!"

Axel drowned them out as he watched Demyx rise from the couch. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to look for my friend." He stopped briefly at the door as the lavender haired man and red haired man stared at him, ready to spring into action. "Don't…please don't follow me. This is my business. Later."

**:IMAGINE SAID LINE BREAK HERE: **

The streets were unusually noisy as he walked along them, wondering why there was such a sudden spike is the activity levels. Twilight Town didn't seem the type of place that would be so noisy on a general basis; but then again, he'd only been living in the place for about a week max. And as it was, things were already too crazy for him to deal with, especially since he felt like he'd walked onto a reality show for parading dysfunction. '_Sure, and I am the house guest who is caught in the middle—what a likely story_.' Rolling his eyes, he continued on his way down to the cafe where he thought he might perhaps pick up another coffee, preferably one that would scald his face into death. Sometimes he thought he was a bit overdramatic but other times he thought he was justifiably so in his actions. He'd barely made it to the café when he heard someone calling his name from a few blocks back. Whirling around, he almost smacked his forehead at the sight of the musician who was bounding up to him.

"Marluxia, wait up!"

Sighing, he waited patiently at the door for his friend to catch up to him. "Yes, Demyx, what is it?"

"You're…ok?" Marluxia nodded but Demyx didn't seem to buy it. "It was Sora, wasn't it? He reminded you of…him…didn't he?"

"I don't know what the fuck you're babbling about Demyx. I just really needed a caffeine fix," Marluxia snapped in reply as he glanced at the coffee menu, though he wasn't really looking at it.

Demyx kicked at a pebble nearby. "Listen…you know you can't hide that from me, Mar. I'm your best friend. I was there when this all happened. I'm the one who wanted you to stick around and always be around despite what everyone had said. You can tell me things Mar; you can talk to me, and you know that." When Marluxia made no obvious move to talk or do anything, Demyx let out another sigh, this time sounding rather defeated. "Well, you know I'm here if you need me. Zexion's still at Larxene's. I'll be at the house. But if you decide to talk after all…well, that's where I'll be. Don't forget your keys." With a small wave, the musician began to walk away. "Oh, and just for the record Mar, you aren't alone in this; that's why you're here, remember? Well, later then."

The brown haired youth watched as his friend walked away, brooding in his own silence about how much he loathed himself in that moment. Demyx had been his only friend that hadn't abandoned him when everything had been said and done, decided and finalized. All his other friends had pretty much left him to die somewhere, somewhat like his parents. He wasn't proud of what he'd done. Shaking his head, Marluxia made his way into the peaceful café, briefly taking in the sweet, gentle sound of Blues and Jazz that filtered into his ears. The person behind the register looked like a bored high school student and he just couldn't fathom why the young kid was there in the first place. '_Surely you'd like to have worked somewhere else…not some old place like this._' He could never understand why high school students chose jobs that they hated. '_Then again…I guess that's all they really can get with the age bracket…_' His thought trailed off as he ordered his coffee, slightly amused by the bored student behind the counter. As he waited for his coffee to be made, he pondered what Demyx had said to him previous to his entering the café. He knew Demyx was no liar and that he would stay true to his word no matter how much of an asshole Marluxia was with him. In truth, Marluxia had always been somewhat of an asshole to his friend and was still amazed at how Demyx still wanted him around. The events of the past couple of days had his mind in a whirlwind of confusion, boggled beyond all belief. He'd never met people like Larxene or Namine. He'd met people like Axel and Roxas, people who were similar—but definitely not Axel and Roxas. As for Zexion, he was just as surprised with him as he was with everything else. It was a lot to take in and he didn't know if he could continue to do so without proper explanation or attitude, at that.

Suddenly, he found himself rather annoyed again though he wasn't really sure as to the reason why. Sighing, he grabbed his cup of coffee and proceeded to the nearest table, trying to appear completely uninterested in everything around him, which wasn't a far cry from the truth. The meager explanation that Demyx had given him after Namine's incident didn't reveal too much that he could work with; therefore, he was thoroughly unconvinced with the entire situation. However, it genuinely appeared and sounded as though Demyx hardly knew anything about the young woman. Maybe she really did close all her doors off to everyone, maybe she didn't. Shaking his head, he took a sip of the steaming liquid, biting his tongue when the drink burned a solid path down his throat. '_Foolish_,' he mused as he stared at its contents, not really sure why he was doing so. Something made him want to figure it out, made him want to know why she acted the way she did, made him to want to find out her secrets. But something stopped him, too. '_My own secrets…they're nobodies business…_' Feeling very much like strangling himself, the young man rose to his feet and exited the café in fervor. He knew he had a lot to talk about with Demyx as it had been some years; he'd been surprised when he was able to find his friend in the first place.

Aggravated, Marluxia practically stomped his way all the way back to Demyx's house, his keys jingling annoyingly in his coat pocket with each step. He seemed less than invigorated by everything surrounding him, even the high school kids who were prancing around happily, shouting and screaming with the joy of time after school. There was a group of boys and girls—Roxas and Namine's age, he guessed—walking ahead of him, all of them talking animatedly about summer vacation even though school had started two months prior. He thought it was a little early to be discussing all that nonsense. Nevertheless he shook his head as he strode past them at an alarming speed, disgusted and angered that their lives seemed too simple, though they probably weren't. He wanted to yell at them, give them cynical advice and see how well they laughed after that. '_God…I'm starting to sound like my father._' The mere thought of his father was enough to make him sick to his stomach. Truth be told, Marluxia had never hated anyone before his father but the man was a real bastard. He'd pretty much kicked his mom out, blamed him for everything that had happened, then accused him of being gay before kicking him out, too. '_Yeah, a real fuckin bastard._' A moment later he was at the door and turning the key when it swung open to reveal a forlorn looking Demyx with a cup of water in his hands plus the usual twinkies, which Marluxia had become accustomed to over the days previous to now. Shaking his head, again, he proceeded inside, not sure what he was going to tell his friend as he heard the door lock click shut. The long haul may have just begun.

**:IMAGINE SAID LINE BREAK HERE: **

'_To think I ditched Kairi for this._' Riku threw his hands up in annoyance as Kadaj continued to spray tomato sauce on the carpet through the spout of an old, unused bottle of Windex. Loz and Yazoo would be home in about ten minutes and he had done everything in his power to stop his younger brother from tearing apart Sephiroth's house. The white carpet, which he knew had been shampooed more than 15 times in one week, looked like a five year old had spilled spaghetti sauce on it and then mashed it into the fibers with his or her hands. Luckily for him, Riku knew that Sephiroth never really blamed him though it still was hard to watch. He couldn't wait until his older brother got home; Kadaj would be in for it, and hell would smile its thanks. Sighing, he leaned back into the comfortable, black leathered couch, flipping through the channels as Kadaj added a bit of wine to the mixture though where he found the bottle Riku had no idea nor did he care to know. The particular spot Kadaj had been decorating was one he'd been working on for months. It seemed as though he did everything in his power to make Sephiroth replace the carpeting of the living room floor at least twice a year. Rolling his eyes, Riku snorted. He thought his older brother would've been wise enough to at least lock HIS bedroom door to keep the terrors of Kadaj from occurring within it. Sometimes, it was a lost cause and Riku credited that loss to the fact that Sephiroth worked so hard and so much.

Today he was waiting for Yazoo and Loz to come home so one could take care of Kadaj while the other visited his legal birthmother. His mom, though not biologically Loz, Yazoo, Kadaj or Sephiroth's mother, still treated them like and called them all her sons, with the exception of Sephiroth. However, he figured they'd established their own strange relationship prior to the heavy decisions made later on after he'd been born. He knew Loz, Yazoo and Kadaj called her mom and he never really thought it was weird, or annoying—he really hadn't cared and still didn't. But every now and then he would find himself wondering how it wasn't weird for them to call someone else's mom, who was their father's mistress, their own mom. He thought, sometimes, it was because of them losing their mother because of abandonment or perhaps it was their father's death. He could never really say for sure; most of the time, he didn't care to elaborate on it either. His quiet brooding was interrupted when he heard a crash, a shout and then cursing like no other. '_Hm…seems like the two idiots are home._'

"Dammit Loz, watch where you're going you incompetent asshole!"

"Well, I'm sorry! It wouldn't have happened if Kadaj hadn't put that damn sauce on the carpet, again!" Loz whined. "You know Seph's gonna kill you for sure this time. This will be the 3rd time he's replaced the carpet…more than two in a year! Are you going for a record?"

Kadaj stuck his tongue out at his brother as he darted to his room, returning moments later with his school uniform. "He's not going to. I would NEVER do anything like this in my school uniform!"

"You little shit, he's not gonna believe that!" Yazoo retorted. "Besides, Riku's been watching you the whole time; he's witnessed your atrocities!"

"And so it continues," Riku commented as he tried to block them out. "Listen, I'm gonna head out. My mom said she's cooking an early dinner so I wanna be there for it, for once. Who's coming with me?"

"It's my turn today," Yazoo replied, still holding his books. "See you later."

"But I wanna go this time!" Kadaj cried from his spot on the floor, reminding Riku very much of a spoiled 4 year old. '_God knows he acts like one,_' Riku thought. Kadaj didn't let up. "Please? Oh, come on Riku! You said next time I could go! Besides, you didn't even bring Kairi over today!"

"Kairi was busy today you punk; she had a life, you know. And I never said anything like that!" Riku answered, harassed. "Besides, that's up to Sephiroth, right?" At the nods from Yazoo and Loz, he proceeded to the door. "Well, see you guys in a couple days. Bye Loz, bye Kadaj."

"But, but…" Kadaj's whines could still be heard above the shouts of Loz, who was trying to calm his little brother down. He'd probably be howling in a few minutes due to Loz punching him or something of the like.

Riku rolled his eyes again. '_You'd never think that brat was about to graduate from high school this year…man…he's so annoying._' He loved his brother, really he did. But sometimes he couldn't stand the brat since he got away with murder on a daily basis, at least compared to his other brothers. In Riku's opinion, Sephiroth was way too lenient with Kadaj when it came to house chores, a job and responsibilities. Sometimes he thought his brother had a disorder; but the only one he could come up with was A.D.H.D. and last he'd checked, it did not run in the family. He knew that didn't mean it wasn't possible but really, what were the chances? Letting out a groan, he ignored the known craziness of his brothers' driving as he handed Yazoo the keys to his car, not really caring whether they got into a car accident or not. Then again, they probably wouldn't since Yazoo seemed to be the better driver of the three—compared to Sephiroth, well, there was no comparison. Letting out another groan like the first time, he stuck his head under his car pillow as Yazoo took off. He suddenly felt very sick.

When they arrived at the house, he was surprised to find Kairi and her new boy-toy interest waiting for him on the porch. He could hear his mother inside humming happily as she cooked. Yazoo merely waved to the pair as he entered the quaint, tan colored house in search of his "mom" and only real reason for visiting. Riku didn't count himself in that equation since he visited them. Kairi immediately jumped up to greet her best friend as Sora gave a lazy nod.

"Hi, Riku. Sora and I thought we'd stop by since we were in the neighborhood. I'm sorry I couldn't come with you to see your brother's today. Well, even though I see Yazoo is here. How are you?" She appeared bubblier than normal.

Riku blanched. "What are you on today, Kai?"

"Nothing," she replied, offended. "I came to see you since I haven't gone with you in a few weeks. Do I have to be ON something to be happy to see my best friend?" He shook his head, sighing. "Anyway…um…is everything all right with you?"

"I thought you'd want to hang out with your new best friend." As soon as the comment left his mouth he regretted it. Kairi's face flushed in anger and embarrassment as Sora blinked in confusion; Yazoo, who had suddenly reappeared, let out a low whistle. "Sorry, I didn't mean that and yeah, I'm fine," Riku answered, trying to make up for his slip. "Kadaj was just being annoying, as usual. You know…he missed that you weren't there today."

Kairi seemed to have let his last statement slide as Sora spoke up. "I'll bet he did. Didja tell him where she was at?"

"No, that would've made things worse," Riku responded, stiffly. He wasn't getting along with anyone lately. He knew he was being an asshole with Sora, who was generally easy to get along with. At the younger boy's pointed stare, Riku shrugged. "Sorry…I haven't been feeling too well these days."

"None of us have, really," Yazoo supplied as he leaned against the pillar where Kairi was sitting. He gazed at the sky, nonchalant. "So, Kairi, Sora, what brings you here today?"

"We came to see Riku," Sora said while examining his gloves. "Kairi said she hasn't been visiting with him lately, so I suggested we come by and make up for lost time. I'm on my way home, too. I figured we could make this pit stop then, I could walk her home."

"So noble," Yazoo said, his voice seeming far away.

Sora rolled his eyes. "My mom always said…whatever…does it matter? You Kosaka's always have something to say, don't you?"

Riku and Yazoo both glanced at him, smirking as they nodded though Riku was the one who responded. "Yes, we do. But we have very good reason to do so."

"And what reason is that?" Kairi asked, hands on her hips. Riku was about to respond when she felt a hand rest on her head, patting it once or twice. "What gives, Yazoo?"

He turned her head to face him as his aquamarine-sea green eyes calmly looked into her amethyst pair. "Not everything needs an answer, does it, Kairi?"

She blushed furiously, suddenly remembering her childhood crush on Riku's older brother. Ripping away from his grasp abruptly—Sora gazed at her in confusion, again—she sat back down next to Riku, seemingly grumpy. "Yeah, yeah…whatever."

Riku smiled knowingly while Sora went back to looking at the sky, fascinated by things no one probably cared about in the least. Silence settled over them for a few minutes until Sora finally stood and dusted off his pants, his mien suddenly somber as he adjusted his shoelaces. "Hey, Kairi, I'm gonna get going back to the house. I'll catch ya later, all right?" She looked at him, puzzled. She was about to open her mouth to say something when he waved to everyone. "Bye Yazoo, bye Riku! Tell your mom I'll try to stay for dinner next time, eh?"

"Sure thing," Riku waved to his already rapidly disappearing figure. Sora was almost gone when Kairi finally stood up too, irritation and puzzlement written clearly all over her pale features. Riku snorted at her dumbfounded look. "Kai, you didn't expect him not to notice that look you gave my brother, did you? I mean, Sora may be pretty dense…but he's not that dense. He likes you. He pays attention."

"What are you talking about Riku?" Yazoo asked, curious. Then he remembered. "Oh…Kairi, I thought you'd moved on. I can't like you, you know that."

"I know that, I know!" She answered huffily, still embarrassed from before. "But even so…I still get a little flustered. Give me a break Yazoo, because seriously, I barely got over you like…one year ago and now, well, no…I don't even like you that way. I really like Sora, a lot. It's just that…you never forget your first crush, I guess."

"Tell me about it," Riku reminisced as he stared at her. "But hey, we all move on at one point, or we should, right?" Both Kairi and Yazoo gave him a blank stare and he felt his cheeks tinge pink. "Well, what? I've gotten over my first crush…I had to."

"I'll be going inside now," Yazoo interjected as he left the two on the porch to talk about their high school crushes. For him, he'd never really had that problem since he'd pretty much only cared about school; still, he did think Kairi was an attractive girl nonetheless. Squashing those thoughts the moment they had surfaced, he continued on his way to the kitchen where he knew he was going to eat some damned good food. '_Ah…better than that shit Loz tries to pass off as food anyway._' Sephiroth did not cook. And that was that. No one ever bothered to ask him. He was the caretaker and paid their way through pretty much everything. Once inside the kitchen, he plopped onto the nearest chair as his mom kept cooking and humming, a smile plastered on her cheerful face. She was so busy she hadn't even noticed him come in but he didn't care too much either way. Instead, his thoughts drifted back to Kairi and how mature she'd become over the past years. He remembered her when Riku had first introduced her to the Kosaka family; she must've been at least 11 or 12 years old. Riku had been rambling to Sephiroth about bringing this friend to meet his family for a while, and even Riku's mom had insisted. So one day, when Riku was about 12 years old, he finally brought her. Yazoo and Loz had been quite some years older and Kadaj had been the same age as Kairi herself. '_And she was quite a cute girl when she first met us._'

It was predicted that Kadaj would be quite interested when he met her later on, which he was. When Kadaj had first come to live with them at the age of about 14, Riku had been visiting as well for one of his many visits and had brought Kairi as company. On that day, Kadaj, who had only been a recent addition to the Kosaka brothers, had claimed that he would marry Kairi one day. She had been a little taken aback by that comment but she took it all in stride, being the generally sweet girl that she was. Yazoo sighed. '_Hm…maybe I am a little obsessed with her…just a little._' He knew, at some point, there was something he wanted from Kairi, though he wasn't quite sure whether it was a frisky evening or a genuine try at a relationship. Whatever the case had been, he'd squashed it when he'd found out two of his brothers liked her. '_Besides…I'm way too old for her._'

He knew that by legal standards it was not true nor was it a crime since she was 18 after all; what she did at that point was up to her, completely, and no one could tell her otherwise. '_Well, except drinking…she's not there yet_.' However, the moral part of his brain, or whatever was left of it, demanded that he get rid of such heinous thoughts where it concerned the young woman in question. She was Riku's best friend, Sora and Kadaj's current interest and still in high school. He suddenly took a look at his watch, curious as to what time it actually was; the sun appeared to be setting, as far as he could see through the kitchen window. He let out a low groan as he read the time; Sephiroth would be off work in about little over an hour. The thought of dealing with Kadaj and Sephiroth's temper when he saw the mess his little brother had made, well, Yazoo decided he'd "forget" where the time had run to and stay to help Riku with some homework. Sighing, Yazoo pushed the thoughts of Kairi away, hoping they wouldn't return anytime soon but knowing him, they'd be back in an hour.

**:LINE BREAKS, THIS ONE, WHICH SIGNALS A BREAK IN TIME, NOT SCENE: **

Kairi sighed as she dropped her backpack onto her bed. Yazoo had ended up walking her home after Sora had left. Riku had homework and it was out of the way to walk her home so Yazoo volunteered, though any other day he would've. Yazoo was on his way home and he hadn't brought his car so he didn't see the point in her walking home alone. The walk home had been relatively treacherous since she hadn't known what to say to him and the silence had been excruciatingly horrible for her. Usually it was all of the Kosaka brothers and Riku plus her, so they'd always had something to talk about. But Yazoo by himself was another story, Kairi found out. She hadn't known what to do around him either, especially since she really had just gotten over him a year prior. Even though thoughts of Sora were circling her head the whole way home, she couldn't help but stare at her older companion, wondering what he thought of her. She'd always wanted to know what Yazoo thought of her after he found out her secret thanks to Riku. She'd been curious. '_Would he even give me a chance? Why am I even thinking about him?_' She let out another long, disappointed sigh. Sora hadn't walked her home and it bugged her; but the other half was rejoicing that Yazoo had offered. She knew she liked Sora a lot but the remnants of her crush on Yazoo were affecting her judgment and she didn't like that.

Groaning in anguish, she reached over for her cell phone just as it began ringing. "Hello?"

"Hey. Did you get home safe? My brother didn't harass you or anything, did he?"

She nodded though he couldn't see her. "Yes, thanks for asking Riku, and no, he left about ten minutes ago."

"Is your Uncle home?"

She could hear the music he was listening through the telephone line, it was so loud. "No, he's not home yet. I just locked all the doors. I'm going to start on my homework. Call me if you need any help?"

"Sure, or I'll be online…or I'll just come over. You know, the usual," he replied, his tone indifferent.

This wasn't uncommon for her when dealing with Riku so she merely smiled. "Of course. Bye." She clicked the end button and was putting her phone on the charger when it rang again. She glanced at her caller ID, wondering if it was Riku again but the caller ID slot read Private. Raising a brow, she flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Kairi? I was just calling to check up and see if everything is all right with you."

She smiled in relief. "Yes, everything is fine. Thanks Yazoo. Riku just called me too. You guys sure know how to make me feel safe."

There was a bit of laughing from the older man on the other end. "I was just checking. I'm guessing your Uncle isn't home yet?"

"No, he's doesn't get home until later, like around midnight. He works so late and all…" she twisted the phone charger cord around her finger, suddenly nervous. "But it's ok. I'm used to it. I'm fine, really."

"Well, if you feel unsafe, please call one of us. You know you can stay either place whenever," he replied.

"Yes, thanks you so much," she answered, her cheeks flushing against her will. "I uh…um…I have to start on my homework. See you in a couple of days." She was about to hang up when she remembered something else she wanted to ask. "Oh, wait! Could you tell Kadaj that I said hi? I don't want him to think I forgot about him."

"No problem. Goodnight Kairi."

"Goodnight Yazoo," she said, her eyes wide as she heard the other line click to signal the end of the call. Once she'd replaced her phone on the charger, she fell back onto her bed again and hugged her pillow tighter than necessary. '_What…I don't understand this…_' She felt her gut twisting as she thought about Yazoo and his phone call. At that point she knew she hadn't gotten over Yazoo, at least not fully. The thought of him ignited a fire within her, it sparked a flame of something she couldn't quite place. She didn't venture to call it love. Perhaps lust? It was similar to the spark that Sora gave her. She felt such sensations when either male looked at her. She was beginning to find it difficult to distinguish. Letting out a grievous groan, she pinched herself. '_Wake up and smell the real world Kairi. You haven't gotten over anything_.'

**:LINE BREAKS, THIS ONE ANYWAY, SIGNALS A TIME BREAK, NOT A SCENE BREAK: **

Tifa fell back against her chair as she tried to block out the incessant taps of fingers on the keyboard as Yuffie entered more patients information into the computer database. She wanted nothing more than to melt into a puddle and disappear. She'd met with Cloud earlier in the day but he'd been so out of it that he'd barely heard anything she'd said about the case. Sephiroth was buried under paperwork—according to Aerith's stressed answering of the phone—and had been, virtually, unavailable to talk to her. So now she was sitting with Yuffie in one of the lobbies of one of the hospital floors, waiting for Cloud to bring them back their food. She, Yuffie and Cloud had spent most of the day trying to track down Namine's patient record through any of the local hospitals but so far it'd been a bust since getting warrants to go through patient records had been restricted for reason they hadn't known. She was thoroughly annoyed and felt like stabbing Cloud's impaired ass; he'd been acting strange.

Rubbing her temples, she resorted to taking a nap. Turning to Yuffie, she gave her a hard stare. "I'm taking a nap before Cloud gets back. If he needs anything, tell him to wait 15 minutes."

Yuffie nodded, her hands never pausing in their movements. "Sure boss, anything else?"

"Yes," Tifa groaned. "Can someone please get me some Morphine? I want to numb myself."

"That's against the law, Tifa," Cloud answered.

She glared at him. "And here I was thinking I'd get to nap before you returned. Whatever, Strife. Just give me my coffee."

He nodded, handing her the steaming liquid as Yuffie reached for her muffin, squealing in excitement. Cloud just shrugged, amused by the entire scene as the two young women kept silent, involved in their food and drinks. Cloud took a seat next to Yuffie, gently placing his new Beretta on the desk top next to her. She blinked. "Not used to using that, I guess, right?" He agreed, chewing lightly on a snickers bar. Yuffie laughed. "Well, if it's any consolation cousin, I can't use these new keyboards."

"Seems like you're managing," Tifa interrupted.

Yuffie smiled. "Well, I have been training myself. I have to or else I get fired."

"I wouldn't fire you," Tifa answered, her eyes glazed over as she sipped her coffee and continued reading over paperwork. "Say, Yuffs…do we have any known record of where Namine was born?" Yuffie blinked at her, stupidly. "Cloud," she turned to the blonde haired man, rolling her eyes as the caramel strand hanging off the corner of his lips. '_He looks so stupid._' Sighing, she swatted at it before glaring. "I need you to go through the records of recent activity for who has come into Twilight Town. Can you do that while we check the birth records here?" he nodded, wiping his hands on his pants to which Tifa gave a disgusted but knowing look. "Get out of here already."

"See ya later Tifa!"

Once he was gone, she returned to her coffee, smiling. "I think we finally may start getting somewhere with the birth records."

"I'm on it," Yuffie responded quickly before swiveling her chair to face Tifa. "By the way, what was that about? You seem really annoyed with Cloud today."

"Who wasn't?" She muttered. "It's nothing…I'm just tired and he was in the warpath."

Yuffie shrugged. "If you say so." The black haired woman did not respond as she glanced at the papers, not really taking anything in as her mind was somewhere else. Yuffie quietly returned to her work, wondering whether or not she should say anything further. Thinking wisely of it, she shut her mouth and kept working. Sometimes, one just had to know when to let things be and Yuffie was not about to mess with that law.

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

YAY YAY! There is chappie 7 for y'all. Still, not much else to say except there will still be new people coming in and out, and, hopefully, the time will come to reveal what happened in Marlu AND Larxy's pasts. It just takes well… time! So please don't be discouraged! Yes, I know I made Yazoo kinda pervy…but no worries…I doubt anything will REALLY come of THAT scenario. It's just fit when I was writing it and I couldn't resist…even though now, I'll prolly go write crack pairing oneshots…ANYWHO, if you wanna flame me about it, please do! . Flame are used to heat the glue gun for the plushie factory! Thanks to all who R & R'd…you guys rock. Oh, and go subscribe to the Lightening and Flowers amongst other things C2 community. It's mainly a Marluxia/Larxene C2 but anything is more than welcome! Bye for now, all!)

_**Sadistickunais**_


	8. Confusion

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think? _

**A/N: Chapter 8 is done, W00t! All the same rules still apply. There will continue to be boy/boy love (sorry all—it's not the main pairing) and Mature themes (I.E. that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people, etc…) and that means this story is not for young ones! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. I am working hard to keep everyone in character as well as making them fit into the story's concept. The content is getting more mature and less friendly, so just know that. Okie, that's it.**

**Word coding:** ' _Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

**Confusion **

The bell rang too early for Namine the next morning as she and Roxas trudged to school, Namine wearing unusually long sleeved shirt and pants as she left the house. Roxas noticed but knowing her current situation he said nothing. For the past month or so—it might have been longer but Roxas couldn't remember exactly—she had been on and off with school, sometimes going, sometimes not. She'd been dressing warmly and though it was getting close to winter, they were still in the midst of the autumn. He didn't know the details of how things were progressing for her legally, but according to Axel, who had received a phone call from a Detective Strife; it seemed that the nice doctor who'd examined Namine had taken it upon herself to get them an attorney and a case. At first Axel had been furious that she'd done so, accusing her of not bothering to ask him, which she admitted she had not. However, when she told him who would be reviewing the case and working on it until Namine received justice, Axel had relented, somewhat shocked. Roxas remembered the conversation from a couple of weeks ago. He'd come in just as Axel was hanging up with a shocked look on his face.

Puzzled, Roxas had asked about it. "Axel, is something wrong?"

"We got an attorney for Namine," Axel had replied, still shocked.

Roxas had raised a brow, dumfounded as well. "We…did? Who is it? How did you do it?"

"I didn't," Axel had snapped as he fell onto the couch, seemingly in awe. "It's…the doctor lady, Doctor…er…Doctor Lockhart, I think it was…she managed to get Attorney Kosaka on the case."

Roxas had dropped his breakfast to the floor that morning. "Att—Attorney Kosaka? Axel, do you have any idea who that is?"

Axel nodded. "Yeah…"

It had seemed like a dream that the famous Attorney Kosaka had decided to accept their case without an actual Police report, not to mention that their attorney was related to Riku, of all people. Roxas shook the memory from his head as they kept walking. They were a few minutes from the actual building when they spotted Sora and Riku waiting for them by the gates, both looking utterly harassed. He wondered, briefly, if Riku had any idea about his brother's new case. Riku had an angry look on his face and was, from how it appeared, arguing with Sora about something or the other. Sora, for his part, looked annoyed with his hands in his pockets and spiky brown hair flattened beneath a baseball cap. Roxas didn't feel like arguing anymore that morning since prior to his leave, he'd pretty much screamed at Axel that Namine should be allowed to go to school if she wished, which she did that morning. Not surprisingly, Larxene had barely come out of her room the day before so she had no say in what Namine chose to do. As for her, Namine had kept her hands over her ears to block out the argument; she didn't like it when people yelled, especially about her. Sighing, the dirty blonde made his way over to his friends as Namine stopped to adjust her shoelaces. He was hoping to shut them up before their pettiness could bother their friend.

"What the hell is going on?" Roxas hissed as he saw Namine stand and come towards them. They gaped at him, offended. "Listen, whatever you're arguing about, save it for later. Namine doesn't need this right now so just shut the fuck up while she's here. After she's gone you can tear each other apart about who really deserves Kairi, ok?"

Sora quickly nodded in understanding while Riku glared, not sure what Roxas was referring to. So judging by how Riku acted now, Roxas surmised that the silver haired young man had no idea about his brother's new case or Namine. However, all was forgotten or put on hold, rather, as Namine strolled up with a small, forced smile on her face. Immediately she felt insecure as Riku looked at her, his tall figure towering over her. She let out a small squeal, backing into Roxas' arms as Sora stood in front of them. "Hey, uh Riku…where is Kairi today? Wait…aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Distracted, Riku let out a sigh as he reached in his pocket for a cigarette. "Yeah, ten minuets ago. About Kairi, well… her uncle asked me to come to the school and ask you guys to get her homework."

"Oh…is…Kairi sick, then?" Namine's timid voice broke through the tense atmosphere as Riku turned his gaze to her. She blushed, a little, not sure how to react whenever Riku looked at her, even more so now. His gazes were always so intense, especially with his beautiful shining but deep aquamarine eyes. "I um…I can get most of it since she and I have class together…except for her elective."

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say, Namine Isuki," Riku answered, his aquamarine eyes laughing as he lit up his cigarette and inhaled. "Hm…all right, well, I'd better get to Kairi's to check on her so I can go to school in an hour, at least. Or I'm going to fail this stupid exam. Bye."

Sora, Roxas and Namine watched as his disappeared down the block still smoking his cigarette while his steps remained light and carefree. Namine was the first to speak. "He's missing an exam to make sure she's got everything she needs…"

Roxas glanced at her. "Namine…let's just get to class, all right? We're going to be late."

"Oh…yes, of course," she answered quietly.

Sora just followed them, not sure of what was going on. He kind of figured, though a little later than most, that Namine liked Riku. But from what he knew about the silver haired young man, he liked Kairi or had for quite some time. He felt a small pang of jealousy as he thought about it, mainly because Sora himself liked Kairi. Mentally slapping himself, he continued on until he, Roxas and Namine reached their AP Chemistry class—he hated chemistry. However, he'd applied so he couldn't quite hate the class for itself. He decided he'd have to hate himself as well for picking it in the first place. For the rest of class he and Roxas couldn't quit drifting off into space, which he could tell they were since Roxas kept staring out the window. As for Namine, she was clutching her sketchbook, as usual, except that she looked as though she wanted to cry. So when the teacher finally dismissed them Sora and Roxas weren't surprised to see her run off, most likely to the girl's bathroom. Nevertheless, they darted after her to make sure. When they saw her figure disappear where they'd assumed, both young men fell against the wall with slight relief, neither speaking for a moment.

"Hey, Sora…heard any news from your brother or is he still working late?" Roxas inquired, trying to make conversation.

"What's with the small talk? We're friends Roxas," Sora said, smiling as he stuck his hands in his pants pockets, the belts and chains making clinking noises as he did so. To the side of him he could see Roxas messing with the ring-like pieces around his fingers. The brown haired boy let out a heavy breath as he plastered a smile on his face and let out as happy a laugh as he possibly could. "Man, you worry too much! I'm fine, Rox, really!"

Roxas let out a somewhat solemn laugh, not deceived. "I wish I believed that. You're so full of shit Leonhart."

Irritated, Sora nodded for he knew it was the truth; he let his smile drop a little, the crease in his eyebrows returning, which showed he was not happy. Roxas had always been able to see right through him. "I just…there are things that have been bugging me before you told me about Namine and with that I just…I'm tired, that's all." Silence reigned for a second before Sora finally turned to look at his older counterpart. "Hey…when do you think they're going to notice, you know…everyone? I mean, Namine doesn't usually wear the kind of clothes she's been wearing and she told me she hasn't been able to focus on school…if her grades drop…"

"Her grades have dropped…and she's been crying a lot more," Roxas cut in, bluntly. "I know what you're talking about…but no one can know."

Sora blinked. "But don't you think if Kairi or Riku knew, they could help? Especially since Riku's brother is leading the case…by the way, does Namine even know that her attorney is Riku's brother?" Roxas shook his head vigorously, glancing around quickly to see if Namine was around. He didn't want her to know about it—orders from Axel and Larxene. Sora kept on, not seeming to have seen the vehement look in Roxas' eyes. "Shouldn't she know that? I mean, don't you think that Kairi and Riku have to know?

"They don't have to," came a small voice from in front of them. Namine was shaking, tears threatening to fall from her eyelids as she hugged herself. Immediately Roxas and Sora broke from their conversation and stared at her in awe. She suddenly let out a choked sob. In response, both boys reached out and hugged her. Namine finally broke, right there, in the middle of the hallway in front of all her peers and not caring whether they saw her or not. It had been weeks since the incident and she'd known nothing about what was going to happen to her except that she did have a case with one well-known Attorney. She didn't know his name; they wouldn't tell her. She didn't know if she had to return home but figured she'd been lucky no one had come looking for her thus far. Sometimes, late at night, she'd hear Larxene screaming on the phone to someone and she had a pretty good idea who was on the other end. Just the thought made her shiver. But when she was with Sora and Roxas, almost everything seemed to melt away—except the pain and dirtiness she felt—and their warmth seemed to comfort her a little more. "I don't…Riku…if he knew…he'd think I was a slut or something, he'd see the dirt…he'd see the filth that I've become…he'd think me a whore..."

"Riku wouldn't think that," Roxas replied fiercely. "And if he did, he wouldn't be worthy of you."

They knew they were earning stares from the students filing through the hallways but none of them cared. "Nami, it's going to be ok. Roxas and I are here to help you. We love you, we really do."

"Yeah, Sora is right. We love you Nami, so much."

The tears flowed harder as she sank into their welcoming embrace, shaking uncontrollably as the bell rang for their next period. After all the students had disappeared and they knew they were late, Namine finally emerged, her eyes bloodshot but with a smile on her face. "Roxas, Sora, thank you so much. I…I owe you guys so much…you've been such great friends." Both young men offered her a smile while wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. This time, she hugged them though it seemed slightly forlorn. "I…we should get back to class."

"No, Nami," Sora interrupted. "I think you should just go home for today, all right?" Roxas nodded his agreement. "Why don't you have Axel come pick you up?" She was about to protest when they both gave her a pleading stare. Finally she relented and allowed them to walk her to the infirmary where she sat, waiting patiently as Roxas called Axel. On their way out, Sora winked at her. "Don't worry Nami; everything is going to get better…everything."

She nodded, giving them both a small wave. "Yes, thank you. Good bye! Oh…and don't forget Kairi's homework." And just like that, they were gone. She counted the minutes, up to ten, which is when Axel arrived, flame red hair somewhat flattened; she guessed he hadn't fixed it in his rush to come get her. The lady at the front desk gave him a skeptical look but when everything checked out, she was allowed to leave with him. She willingly accepted his hand as he led her from the school building and down the sidewalk, his gloves feeling strangely callous beneath the softness of her own fingers. The walk home was silent for all but two minutes when she noticed, and quite rightly, couldn't stand how quiet her counterpart was. "Axel…you're so…quiet. Is something the matter? You're always so talkative and now…this is just…weird."

He seemed to come to, smiling awkwardly. "And you seem to be talking more than usual…but as to your question, I'm fine Namine, thanks. How are you? Not feeling too well?"

She gave a small, nervous laugh. "No I…Roxas and Sora sent me home. I was ok though. I could've stayed."

"Mm-hmm." Axel didn't seem to be buying it, not at all.

Namine sighed, her blonde hair cascading over her pale skin to hide her expression, which was tense and upset at most. She wanted to scream at Axel for not believing her, but mostly, for not telling her what was going to happen with her. She knew her step-father was not looking for her, at least not actively or publicly. Instead, she heard him, every night, on the phone with Larxene as they shouted and shouted at each other. She knew he would not make any blatant moves to take her back because that would cause an uproar; especially now that she knew—and she suspected he knew, too—that she had an attorney. However, it didn't stop his lackeys from coming around every now and then, snooping about and trying to see her or anything suspicious that could be used against them. Despite all that, Larxene, Axel and Roxas had done an excellent job of keeping them out. She frowned. She hadn't seen Marluxia lately, or much of her sister for that matter. And that was saying something when it was Larxene house she was staying at the whole time. Demyx and Zexion had even neglected to come around as much as before. Something didn't seem right and through all of it, her crush on Riku had become stronger but she'd become bitter with the thoughts of what happened to her weeks prior. She knew that he'd think she was a dirty tramp, a whore who hadn't said no. _'I…no…I…Riku could never like me, not after all this…_' Tears pricked at her eyelids, itching for release but she did not let them fall, instead angling her face away from Axel as he looked at her.

If there was one thing she didn't like about Axel, it was his ability to read her so well. "Namine…what's on your mind, little one?"

She let out a slow breath as she reached for Axel's hand, taking it in her own before moving closer to lean on him. For her, Axel was like the big brother she didn't have and would never have. Roxas and Sora were like that too, except that she considered them more like the boyfriends she'd never have since Roxas was gay and Sora liked Kairi. However, it wouldn't have mattered since she was so smitten with Riku Kosaka. Leaning on Axel's arm, Namine began to speak. "I just…I'm confused and I'm trying to find a way to…" She paused, sighing again. "I can't even speak my mind…" She heard him chuckle. "What?"

He smiled, ruffling her hair. "Namine, it's not that you can't speak your mind. You're just really shy. You've always been very shy. And with a sister like Larxene well…who wouldn't be shy?"

She giggled good-naturedly. "Thank you Axel, that makes me feel a bit better."

He nodded. "No problem."

The silence dawned on them again as they saw the mansion come into view. They could see a lone figure sitting on the roof looking minute in the morning hours as the sun blared down on it. Namine blinked as Axel scratched his head. "I see Demyx had returned to his favorite part of Larx's mansion. It's been a while."

"Yes, it has," Zexion replied simply as they entered through the steel gates that separated them from the rest of the world and Twilight Town. "Where were you?"

"What does it look like emo-boy?" Axel replied as he jerked his finger in Namine's direction. "By the way, are you and Demyx staying for dinner tonight?" Zexion nodded. "Well, as far as I know, Kairi and Sora are supposed to join us…maybe Riku." He noted how Namine cringed at the mention of the Kosaka's name. "Anyway…um…have you guys heard any news from Marluxia?"

Zexion shook his head. "Nothing in particular. Demyx won't tell me why he moved out so suddenly, though I think it's because he has no idea why. But he still texts, according to Demyx and his message log."

"Oh? So he's still around?" Axel looked intrigued. "Say, Namine, how about you and me go on a lovely little mission while your sister continues to rave and Zexion stays here with Demyx?"

"Hey, I'm coming too," the silver-lavender haired youth interjected. "You've peaked my interest."

"That's a first, Zexion," Namine said, her blue eyes curious. "Well…what do you want to do?"

"Mission Find Marluxia has begun!"

Both Zexion and Namine sighed at Axel's dramatic title, though the blonde was the one who gave a timid comment directed at the lavender haired man. "Gee…no wonder you were never interested in him." And so the search began.

**:LINE BREAK HERE: **

The sun was nowhere close to setting as Marluxia rubbed his temples. He'd moved out of Demyx's house a few days after the incident. He hadn't really told Demyx much when he'd returned from the café, choosing to merely ignore any questions since he was agitated. But it was then that he'd made Demyx cry and had received a stony look from both his best friend and Zexion, which made him feel as though he should leave. And so he did. Without so much of a word, he packed up his small amount of belongings and departed during the night after he'd overheard Zexion comforting the emotional musician. He knew he couldn't keep beating up on his friend, not emotionally, verbally and definitely not physically—not that he'd ever done that. However, he couldn't live with it anymore. There were too many things going on and he couldn't force himself to be nice right now; change would come at a slow pace as it had been doing so. Sighing, the brown haired young man walked to the back of the café to continue his inventory duties, annoyed that he'd had to work later than usual. He was somewhat bitter that he wasn't rich or hadn't been left money to support himself like everyone else. He briefly knew of Axel having a rather large amount of money in his possession, something from his parents; but other than that, he didn't know much else. He knew the mansion had been given to Larxene but he didn't know how she kept it up since he never saw her working. It seemed like Demyx's music had taken off, if only a little. He hadn't had any gigs recently but it seemed like his CD was going to make some money. He wasn't sure what Zexion did for a living but he knew the young man worked since he'd disappear for long periods of time during any given day of the week. But mostly, he figured that he should be worrying about himself since he needed to support himself financially and mentally.

He knew he'd have to call Demyx back eventually. He'd been text messaging him for a while, letting him know he was fine but not giving any information as to where he was or what he was really doing. He didn't have the courage to actually call his friend because that meant talking about things he didn't feel like discussing. He let out another bored sigh, this one holding some irritation as he opened a box full of coffee bags, none of which were ground yet. He'd have to do that too. Something kept tugging at his mind, an image of a boy with chestnut brown hair that reminded him of someone he was trying to forget. And the worst part was that no one knew how close he was to Twilight Town. He was actually only a mere five to ten minute walk over the bridge into Traverse Town, working his once slightly privileged ass at a little café in the middle of the ruffed up town. Sure, he didn't like it nearly as much as Twilight Town but living in Traverse Town did have its perks, though minimal. For example, the biggest perk was not having to deal with Demyx or his friends and their craziness. The downside was spending one's night alone in a youth hostel with a bunch of other weird people, and having to protect everything you owned. Oh, and being completely uncomfortable with the fact that everyone was pretty much a criminal since Traverse Town's reputation was anything but good. That wasn't to say that he hadn't met some decent but real people; but he was uncomfortable nonetheless. He hadn't been beaten in a while and he didn't look forward to anymore beatings, especially by anyone other than his damned father. He snorted. '_What a jackass…_'

The mere thought of his father always enraged him and he didn't think that the reaction would stop anytime soon. He sighed again as he leaned against the metal paneling of the shelves, his brown hair matted to his forehead. He really didn't look forward to going back "home" at the moment. His thoughts were interrupted when his felt his phone vibrate, signaling that he had another text message, most likely from Demyx. He glanced at his phone. It was Demyx. He looked at the message before letting out another sigh and rubbing his temples in agitation. "Dammit Demyx…"

"You ok in there, Shimoto?"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah…I'm fine."

Snickering. "Really? Sounds like you're not doin so hot these days."

"Fuck off Xigbar. I don't have time for this right now, and you haven't even known me that long" Marluxia replied, his voice holding annoyance. "Don't you have…something to do? Aren't you supposed to be serving people, taking orders or something?"

The man shook his head. "It's slow, and that Hayner kid is takin care of it. And shut your little trap about knowin you…I'm employin you, aren't I?" Marluxia nodded slowly, angered a bit but Xigbar merely laughed. "Calm down…it ain't no big deal, kid." A snort. "Ah…like I said, that Hayner kid's got it."

"Damn, such capable hands…" Marluxia said with heavy sarcasm, practically shoving the coffee bags into the shelf in his anger at the older man. "Go away before I snap that stupid eye patch off your head."

Xigbar, the man in accusation, did indeed wear an eye patch. He was older than Marluxia by quite some years and the manager of the café Marluxia was working in though Xigbar did work there on occasion or when he was just extremely bored. Marluxia didn't know how the man got the café or why he bothered to work there for a living but Xigbar seemed pretty content with everything. Whatever the case, the slightly elderly man seemed fine doing his little job. However, he had noticed that his boss had a strange obsession with guns as there were tons hanging in the café as decorations, most which seemed antique and no longer usable. But given the circumstances he was sure Xigbar's crazy ass would use one, and it'd be his pleasure. He'd seen the older man's face when he'd spoken of each gun in the café, his face lighting up in an eerie way that made Marluxia's skin crawl. Sometimes Xigbar freaked him out more than he'd like to let on. He was brought back to the present when he heard the other man snicker again and slap the counter with a loud laugh. Marluxia looked vexed.

"What?"

Xigbar laughed again. "Listen, you're one to talk, girly boy…you look like a cross dresser with that pretty hair of yours and all that primping you do."

"I do not primp!" Marluxia looked utterly vehement. "And who told you that lie anyway?"

"Oh…a little friend of mine named Hayner."

More vehement looks. "I'm going to murder that stupid, two-faced son of a—wait, I didn't know he lived in the youth hostel too!"

"I didn't know either of you did!" The pirate looking man let out a loud bellow. "Man…am I gonna have stuff to tell Luxord tonight!"

"My shift is over!"

Marluxia rolled his eyes as Hayner came sauntering into the back area, his apron hanging over his shoulder while a mischievous glint went through his eyes. "Oh…hi there girly boy."

"Shut the fuck up, Hayner, or I'm going to put spiders in your covers tonight…Poisonous ones," Marluxia snapped in reply as he violently returned to shoving the coffee bags in the shelves. Hayner blanched for a minute until the brown haired young man let out another sigh. "Xigbar, I'm going home early." There were no objections.

"Yeah, whatever…see ya, Marlu."

"My name is Marluxia, dammit, you fuckin pirate wannabe," He snapped again as Xigbar erupted into laughter again, this time with Hayner along. Too enraged to say much else, he simply dropped his apron on the counter, grabbed his keys and slammed the inventory door though it did nothing to drown out their laughter. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why he was even bothering with any of it. Call him slightly suicidal but he didn't see the point of doing anything. He didn't have anything left. He'd probably lost his best friend—or was going to; his mom was gone, his dad was an asshole and—he felt himself pause in the middle of the empty street. '_And what, you selfish asshole?_' he sighed. '_I still can't even talk to myself about it…_' rubbing his forehead with his now gloved hands, Marluxia continued on his way, hating the way his stomach growled from hunger and his heart pounded with denial. Sometimes he felt like he didn't deserve to live at all. '_Not at all…damned memories…_'

**:LINE BREAK HERE: **

She let out a nervous breath as they awaited the results of their evaluations, hoping against hope that nothing came up about them starting a case without the police report. True, they'd manipulated the system a little, getting the police report afterwards; but if Attorney Kosaka wasn't complaining, who were they to disagree? Yuffie felt a little antsy until she saw Tifa emerge from the Chief's office looking rather triumphant. Tifa usually exuded confidence but it was all over her this afternoon and Yuffie had to stop herself from squealing with joy. She was too excited about not being in trouble but knew professionalism was still a requirement and she had to keep up an appearance. The older, jet black haired woman nodded her as she passed, which meant "follow me" in Tifa terms. Yuffie figured this meant they were having lunch with Aerith again, as they had been for a while now. Sometimes Cloud was there with more information, sometimes not. Attorney Kosaka came too, on rare occasions, and Yuffie simply enjoyed watching them argue since Tifa thought him arrogant and he thought her too brash. It was interesting to watch and way too entertaining to miss.

"Are you even paying attention?"

Yuffie was pulled back to reality, answering with an eloquent, "Oh…sorry, what?"

"I didn't think so. You had that spacey look on your face…" Tifa trailed as she sifted through some paperwork on her desk. "Hm…we have to meet Aerith and Attorney Kosaka for lunch…and Cloud is supposed to be there. By the way, did you call those kids like I asked?" Yuffie nodded. "What did they say?"

"Well, a young woman answered this time but it wasn't the victim. Uh…she was rather rude and didn't say much except that she'd take a message for an Axel?" Tifa encouraged her to continue. "Oh and…uh…she said that she knows more than we might think so to wait for the opportune moment."

Tifa blinked. "What? That's weird, and cryptic. Do we have any idea who she is?"

"Well, in Namine's chart, it says she does have an older sister so…I'm assuming it's the older sister," Yuffie replied with a wrinkled brow. "But what I don't get is why she didn't bother to file the report herself, especially if she knew, which it sounds like she does. It…it's weird…and I'm beginning to wonder what's REALLY going on."

"Yes, I agree…it is peculiar," The older girl said as she turned to her younger counterpart thoughtfully. "I suppose I should send Cloud over there to check it out…or maybe you should go with him. He is a little weird sometimes and he might just scare the young woman." She snapped her fingers. "Brilliant. Yuffie, you and Cloud are to report to Attorney Kosaka tomorrow and discuss the necessary procedures and questioning before you head over to the victim's household, understand?" Yuffie nodded quickly. "Great…but until then, what says you to that lunch, Yuffs?"

"Sounds awesome! But uh…are you going to invite Cloud?"

Tifa sighed, annoyed. "I suppose…though I'd rather not. I'm so not in the mood for this talk about Aerith…well, unless she's there."

Yuffie laughed. "But won't she be? Attorney Kosaka is supposed to be there."

"Um…right, yes…well, let's go."

The younger woman nodded as they both grabbed their coats and headed out, the warmth of the afternoon making it unnecessary to wear the heavy material. '_This weather is so schizophrenic…_' Yuffie mused as she shrugged off the coat. Ahead of her Tifa was gabbing on her cell phone, probably yelling at Cloud. Sighing, the black haired young woman stuck her hands in her pockets, unsure of why she even bothered trying to convince Tifa to be nice to Cloud. Even though the two had been bets friend forever, Tifa seemed bitter that he chose Aerith over her. Truth be told, Tifa had been in love with the blonde for years, since they were little. Yuffie was amazed at how the ebony haired beauty managed to stay friends with the mahogany haired woman—they should've been sworn enemies. She was still deep in thought when she saw Sephiroth, Cloud and Aerith standing before her outside of a new place, some café she'd only seen but never been to. '_Wow…that was uh…fast,_' she let out a low whistle as the five of them entered the restaurant, relishing in the coolness of the air conditioning. Winter would be arriving soon but not quite yet, hence the warm weather. She quickly slid into her seat beside Cloud and across from Aerith, who was across from Cloud. Sephiroth was to her other side and across from Tifa, eyeing her strangely. But when he caught Yuffie staring at him he turned away, looking at his menu with unrivaled interest. She didn't believe it.

"So…how is the police report going?"

Lame conversation always tended to make Yuffie want to bash her pretty head into anything available. Her head slid on her hand as Tifa and Sephiroth made eye contact with Cloud who seemed flustered. Aerith was too busy looking at the salads to care otherwise. For his part, Cloud appeared as though he was trying to figure out how to answer the question under such intense gazes. Yuffie rolled her eyes at his response.

"Um…well, I haven't visited the victim yet…"

"Go figure, Strife," Sephiroth replied with an air of arrogance as he turned the page of the drinks menu, eyeing a cocktail. "What have you done?"

Mumble. "Nothing yet."

Tifa looked like she wanted to beat him with a stick. "Hmm…where is the waiter? I'm famished."

"Oh, well, maybe if you closed your menu, he'd come over."

Tifa looked positively murderous. '_And so begins the daily argument._' Yuffie mused as Tifa and Sephiroth locked eyes.

"Listen, as fun as having another argument with you would be, Mr. Kosaka, I must refuse." She slammed her menu closed as the waiter approached looking slightly cautious. She quickly turned to him. "Hi, can I please have a very large martini on the rocks please, with an olive?" The waiter looked incredulous but at her dangerous look he nodded.

He was walking off when Sephiroth spoke up, his voice commanding but soft. "Make that two, young man."

Her glare returned as Sephiroth let out a smirk. "What the hell is your problem?"

The silver haired man returned to browsing the menu as the wait came back to take everyone else's drink orders. "Nothing criminal, I assure you. I'm simply ordering a drink. You have such fine taste Dr. Lockhart."

"Stop mocking me," she spat back, somewhat annoyed but surprised too. '_Is he really flattering me this time? I can never tell with him._' She stared at him, hard. "I mean it."

"And I mean what I say, good doctor." He said nothing more as he concentrated on ordering food.

Her brow knitted in frustration as she watched him, his face a mask of complete indifference. '_Why do I…?_' She shook her head in anger as she felt her stomach growl. 'I _guess I'd better choose what it is that I'm going to eat before I don't eat anything._' Swallowing the biting comment she felt in the back of her throat, Tifa resumed her search for a decent dish. She hated that place they were eating at, especially since Mr. Kosaka had picked it out. She couldn't stand him at all. But if he wasn't the best lawyer in town, that might've helped too. She was beyond annoyed that he was being such a cocky bastard, as though he owned Twilight Town. "Actually that's probably Sumitse who does, the sick fuck.' She was relieved to see the waiter bring their drinks just in time for her to sip half hers out the cup the minute she picked it up. All occupants at the table gave her odd looks as she threw them a single death glare, ignoring them thereafter. She hated it when people stared as though she was crazy and drunk. 'It's one damn martini.' She could see Yuffie giving her a wary look from her corner of the table but said nothing as the younger woman resumed her discussion with Aerith about garden salads and dressing, which she, coincidentally, found completely stupid and pointless. Needles to say, Tifa knew she was in one of her moods.

"So…Mr. Kosaka does visiting a victim's residence to ask questions and things…does that…violate any laws?" Yuffie inquired as Tifa order another drink before going back to her other one, nursing it lovingly with her angry glare; she seemed totally preoccupied hating Sephiroth to notice Yuffie's slight undermining. Sephiroth looked thoughtful and Yuffie blanched. "The reason I'm asking is because Tifa assigned Cloud and I to go speak to the victim tomorrow, sans cameras, recorders, etc. She wants the victim to feel safe enough to come to us when she's ready."

"I'll have to look into it. But in the meantime, I'd advise against it until I get back to you. There would be too much legal stuff to deal with if you did decide to do it, and then it violates laws," he replied as he took a small sip from his martini. He continued browsing the menu as they had yet to order. "Hm…this chicken does sound rather appealing." Yuffie made a face to which Sephiroth waved his hand. "Don't worry, young Ms. Kisaragi. I am sure we will be just fine. As strong and powerful as Sumitse is…I will do everything that I am capable of in order to strip him of his perverse power. I vow to do my best."

"Yes…that it why we asked you, sir," Yuffie answered, blushing as he smiled at her. She didn't think he liked her at all but his smile sent tingles down her spine, the kind that make one blush as she was doing now. At his simple nod, she went back to twiddling her fingers under the table, only vaguely listening to Cloud and Aerith as they talked. Sometimes she felt like she needed to get away from them, from Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith—all of them. She was at least three or four years younger and had no love life to speak of since before high school. Sure, she'd gone out on some dates, maybe had two boyfriends or so but she never really connected with them at all. Trying to figure out how to speak around older adults wasn't a problem whatsoever; learning to speak around people her own age was a challenge she wasn't sure she was ready for just yet. Sighing, she let the thoughts swivel around her head in an endless whirlwind as she saw the waiter approaching again, this time to take their food orders. '_I guess…that will have to wait till later._' Plastering a smile on her face, Yuffie forced herself to seem as cheerful as she usually was.

**:LINE BREAK HERE: **

Namine sighed as she took a drink from her cool frappuccino, her eyes hazy as she waited for Axel to emerge from the store he'd been in for too long, in her opinion. Sitting next to her, Zexion was busy reading a magazine for technology and computers, his own drink melting beside her in the cool autumn air. They'd been on the mission "Find Marluxia" for well over a couple hours, she hadn't done her homework, and they'd found absolutely NO sign of the flower loving visitor. As a result, Namine was tired and annoyed, hot and sleepy, while Zexion seemed content to keep his emotions to himself. Axel was so into the "mission" that Namine began to wonder. But at the mention of Roxas' name an hour earlier, she surmised that he would be willing to go home if she mentioned it again. Whenever she said Roxas's name, or anyone did for that matter, Axel would go nuts—she guessed he really loved his boyfriend. They had been together for quite sometime from what she understood and, at times, a part of her envied what they shared. She wanted it too, even if she was just a young girl. '_I'm still a person, right?_' Sighing wistfully, she swung her feet back and forth since they didn't quite reach the ground below her, amazed that she could even do that with even an ounce of enjoyment. Shaking her head, Namine watched as Axel finally emerged and signaled that it was time to depart, to return to Larxene's mansion, which both his counterparts were more than happy to oblige.

When they finally reached the silent, ominous mansion they immediately found that Demyx had moved from the roof to the front steps, a large glass of water next to him while his sitar lay against one of the mansion's tall wooden support pillars. He was whistling to himself seemingly lost in thought even though they were standing before him, Zexion looking thoroughly annoyed at not being noticed. Finally Axel cleared his throat. Demyx looked up, surprised though no one knew why.

"Oh…hey guys…where did you go?"

Axel looked utterly harassed. "We've been looking for your ASSHOLE friend for hours. Don't you care at all, you jackass?" Demyx hung his head warily as the redhead looked around, crossing his arms over his chest. "Man…Demyx…what is going on with you and Marluxia?"

"I told you," he bit his lip. "I can't tell you. It's not my right."

Zexion sighed this time, placing a hand on his lover's shoulder. "Demyx…I think it's time we went home. Namine, Axel, see you tomorrow?" He turned to his boyfriend. "Come on Demyx, let's go."

Without so much as another word the pair was gone. Axel and Namine looked up just in time to catch a small glimpse of Larxene as she disappeared from the large window that served as their hangout room. Both gave each other skeptical looks before they shrugged and proceeded into the mansion. The sun was setting and both wondered where Roxas was since it was past the time he should've been home. Inside it was silent, everything placed meticulously in its place as though no one lived there at all, which irked its more loud occupants like none other. Namine waved to Axel as she retired to the empty guest room that served as her own while she was there; it'd been arranged so when they all decided that she needed to stay with them for the time being. Axel watched the young blonde haired girl leave, waiting until she had closed her door before pulling his cell phone out, flipping it open and dialing his boyfriend's number. But when Roxas did not pick up at all he began to worry, which meant he began pacing. And he was doing just that until his phone rang one minute later. He was in such a rush he almost dropped the fragile contraption in his desperate attempt to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hi Axel. Sorry I missed your call. Sora and I are visiting someone. How is Namine?"

Axel felt his blood boil even though he was relieved that his lover was safe and sound. "Roxas, what the hell? Do you have any idea how worried I was when you weren't here?" Silence then a loud sigh. He knew that Roxas was somewhat annoyed. "Look…it's just that…right now, none of us are safe by ourselves. When you don't call and aren't home I…I worry."

"Look, I know I'm young and all, but you have to trust that I can take care of myself most of the time…I'm not as fragile as you think," came the soft but firm reply. At Axel's silence it was Roxas' turn to return the affirmation. "But I appreciate you for worrying, and that you did. That's why I think you're so wonderful, remember?"

A chuckle. He could just imagine Sora laughing as Roxas as he spoke. "I think you're wonderful too, Roxie-bear."

"I hate that nickname, and you know it," was his somewhat vehement reply. "Listen, I'll see you in a bit. I have to go."

"Ok, sure thing."

Silence then another soft whisper. "Axel…I love you."

"I love you too." The red head heard the click of the phone as he leaned back on the couch. He was basking in the wonderfulness of the phrase cited from Roxas' lips when he saw Namine standing by the doorway in her pajamas, her fingers clutching the hem of it nervously. He beckoned for her to come forward, which she did, to curl into his lap as he stroked her hair comfortingly. It was more or less routine for her to do this, to come to him after a long day and cry between him and Roxas or just one of them. She would cry and cry, letting out the grief she'd tried to keep inside before Larxene agreed to leave her alone. He smoothed her hair under his palms as he stared out the window located in the kitchen even though it was small as hell. But something was different about tonight; he could feel it in the air. "Namine…what's the matter?"

She sniffled. "I just…I overheard you and Roxas and I…I just…" she cried harder. "I don't think anyone could ever love me that way…not now…not ever…"

He felt his eyes narrow angrily. "That's not true…and you should NEVER believe that." He brought her to face him. "Anyone who doesn't love you just because of what happened does NOT deserve you, or your love. You're a prize Namine, and you always will be, no matter what."

She looked surprised with her eyes wider than he'd seen in a while, her tears leaving stains on her pale cheeks and giving them a rosy hue. Suddenly she broke out in a smile. "Thank you Axel. I…I'll keep trying…so that one day, one day Riku will…" She trailed off, turning red as Axel gave her a sly smile. "Oh, Axel, please don't…"

"We're back!"

Namine jumped in Axel's arms as she heard footsteps approach. Axel looked guarded. '_We?_' Raising his head, he continued to smooth Namine's hair. "Who is 'we' love?"

Roxas finally entered the house with Sora, Riku and Kairi, who looked like hell with a large blanket draped about her small frame. "We as in, Namine's friends."

"Oh, Namine, what happened?" Kairi rushed over, dropping her blanket as she embraced the young girl who had slowly began trying to creep away. Namine shivered nervously as Kairi held her tightly. "Are you all right?"

Namine nodded. "Y-yes, I'm fine, thank you."

"I'm so glad to hear it. I'm so sorry I was sick today…did I miss a lot in art? I didn't mean for you to have to do the project by yourself!" Kairi's amethyst eyes shone brilliantly though they were tinged with fatigue from being sick.

"Oh I…I didn't stay at school. I wasn't feeling well," Namine replied, red coloring her cheeks as she saw Riku approach. She moved away just as he came to stand next to Kairi.

"Kairi, sit down. You'll over exert yourself Hashiba." He led her to the couch where Axel made room for her to sit. "Hey, Leonhart, go get her some soup, will you?" Sora looked harassed but did as requested; anything for Kairi. Riku chuckled inwardly as Kairi shivered. "You're uncle would kill me if he saw the state you're in. Hm…but at least Yazoo took good care of you today."

Kairi nodded. "Yeah, I'll have to tell him thank you."

He laughed, patting her head as Sora returned with a bowl of soup. Seeing that Kairi was fine, Riku turned his attention to Namine who was standing a few feet away, her eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights of a big rig. When he started towards her she let out a squeak, taking a few steps back before turning to dart towards her room. Roxas was busy talking to Axel while Sora cared for Kairi, all too wrapped in their own worlds to notice that Namine had disappeared with Riku behind her. She ran blindly, managing to make it through the back door into the vast yard without a sign of Riku anywhere. She panted heavily, trying to catch her breath as she leaned against the nearest sculpture, her legs tired and lungs burning a little. She wasn't usually physically active, and hadn't been for quite some time as it was forbidden by her step father. When the silken almost stifled her she felt comfortable enough to sit down and close her eyes. No sooner had she done it then she felt a presence before her. Opening her eyes, she backed up furiously into the statue, scratching her delicate skin.

"Isuki…are you…ok?"

She blushed, though it was hidden in the shadows. "Yes…I'm fine. What do y-you want?"

Riku leaned against the statue, casually looking around. "I just wanted to talk to you, that's all."

"What about? I don't think I have anything interesting to say," she answered quietly, bringing her knees to her chest as he loomed over her. Part of her was afraid while the other couldn't seem to run away.

He let out a laugh. "I highly doubt that. I bet you're one of the most interesting one of them all."

"D-don't mock me…it's not nice…" She bit her lips as she backed even further onto the sculpture's sharp surface, slightly paranoid that Riku was even there in the first place, her mind racing as she tried to escape but saw no opening. He continued to stare at her, which was quite unnerving. After a moment he retreated, backing away enough that she felt a little safer to climb away from the sculpture, her feet settling on the ground. "Um…what did you want to talk about?"

"Anything you want," Riku answered. "What do you do during the weekends when we go out?"

She bit her lip again. "Um…I just…I usually draw in my sketchbook. It's fun and I love it."

"What else do you love?"

"Why are you so interested?"

Both glared at each other for a moment, not quite sure where to go now that they were running out of things to actually say to each other. Namine was the first to give in as she slid from her perch and headed back to the house, passing Riku without so much as word or glance. He continued to look at her as she passed his still form, his lips quirked as he tried to think of something to say to her; he wanted to say something. But before he could form a good sentence she had disappeared back into the house, her blonde hair gone from sight. So he stood there in the moonlight, silver hair glinting as he tried to analyze what had just happened. It didn't take a genius to realize that she was acting strange, stranger than usual. He noticed right away and Kairi had mentioned it a couple times even though she, apparently like he, knew nothing about anything. Riku would have convinced her to bribe information from Sora but when he had barely spoken the other boy's name Kairi had looked completely harassed, shaking her head fervently. She looked ready to explode at him, screaming at him about the audacity of him asking her to do such a horrible thing. He really didn't think it was that serious at all, but she seemed to disagree. He rubbed his chin, thoughtfully, as she contemplated what to do about her and the enigma that he saw within her. '_Namine Isuki…you are a wonder,_' he mused as he turned to go back inside as the air turned chilly. He had just about made it inside when a cigarette hit him in the head. He glanced up in time to see Larxene's figure appear, her wild wisps of blonde hair flitting back and forth as she glared though it didn't seem to be directed at him at all. She looked utterly distracted. '_Best to leave that to itself,'_ he concluded as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

**:LINE BREAK HERE: **

The soft padding of footsteps could be heard downstairs as Larxene hugged her book—it seemed she didn't read it much anymore. Sighing, she watched as the sky darkened into a deep blue, the light shades of orange, yellow and red fading as it started to become night. She felt the weight of the book upon her chest as she tried to ignore the happy murmurs that surfaced from below, murmurs that she figured belonged to her sister and friends. She hated them all, hated them so much that she almost burned her own arm with her cigarettes because she was so unhappy. She hated the fact that Namine could prance around the mansion with Roxas and Axel and Sora like nothing was amiss when, in fact, everything was in chaos. Their step-father had been calling non stop, threatening Larxene as though his life depended on it, which she bet it did. However, a part of her, one that she'd never admit to, knew his threats were not idle but indeed very serious and he would not hesitate to take action. In truth, she wasn't sure exactly why he hadn't ordered them in, why he hadn't had her and Namine picked up or beaten or anything of the like. He wasn't exactly a normal man by any means. He was actually quite sinister and disgusting in her eyes, even long before committing the heinous act of raping her younger sister. She felt her insides boil heavily at the thought as she fought the urge to stick a dagger right through his eyes or temples or some other body part—pretty much any part of him sounded satisfactory.

Rolling her eyes, Larxene reached for her pack of cigarettes, courtesy of Axel previous weeks before. She was some what grateful that he was so giving when it came to Namine. He did practically anything for the girl, treated her like she was his own sister whereas Larxene treated her like a plague. '_I'm the real plague._' She thought mildly as she lit the cigarette between her lips, inhaling the nicotine deeply into her throat as though it was her medicine in life. She wasn't a druggie by any means but every now and then she felt she needed it. '_Ok, so maybe I am a druggie._' Brushing the annoying, miniscule thought aside she turned to her window, not sure why she'd chosen a room with such a small one. Part of her wanted to search for her last bottle of alcohol while the other did not care; she was a fiend for her liquor at times. However, at the moment she felt like she couldn't deal and therefore, she wanted her Everclear way too much for her own good. She had the sneaking suspicion that someone took it and stashed it. She also had the sneaking suspicion that she knew who it was as well. Letting out a low growl she pushed her book away with her foot, watching idly as the golden letters scratched away and the tattered cover scraped against the wooden floor. She always wondered who had done the interior decorating in the house, especially since Namine's room was so much softer in color and décor than her own. Her own wood floors were enough to make her sick when she wasn't in the mood to look at them. Even so, she knew that all of her thoughts were completely irrelevant when it came to the situation at hand, especially with her step father walking around and practically stalking them with threats.

Sighing, she blew at a piece of her hair, annoyed that she was even thinking about it in all of its entirety. She knew that it wasn't trivial, the fact that she was thinking about it so much, but the fact that she was thinking about it and not doing anything about it said something about her character—or so she thought. Mentally kicking herself in the ass, Larxene threw her cigarette out the window in a fit of anger that made her want to pull her own guts out and hang them from a skewer. She was that pissed off and heated about the entire situation. She watched, forlornly, as the cigarette molded itself to the floor beneath her and began to melt away in the twilight. She continued to hear the shouts that blazed from downstairs, shouts that pissed her off like no other. Angry, she stomped her way back to the bed in an attempt to calm herself thought it did nothing to ease how she felt. She was too angry to really focus on anything other than being really angry. In a way she supposed she was angry too much of the time but there was no way in hell she'd ever admit that to anyone. No one could see through her façade aside from Axel, at times. '_Oh, then there's that asshole, Marluxia._' At this she literally slapped herself. Why had she thought of him? She had no clue and it bothered her to no avail.

"Fuck it all…" she murmured to the silence that surrounded her, glancing lazily at her book on the floor. She didn't know why she continued to beat up on the book or Namine for that matter. They were all she had left of the good parts of her life and she beat them, shunned them, tried to destroy them. "Axel…I hate that you're right…that you might be right. That…that he…that asshole…that he might be right, and he doesn't even know me." Silence again but this time the air was tinged with uncertainty, laced with anger and fear. "No," she told herself, her nails digging into her skin and drawing minimal amounts of blood. "I don't…that's not me. It's a fucking lie, all of it. Neither of them know, neither of them! I'm not kidding myself." Convinced, if even for the moment, Larxene swung her door open and stomped her way towards the bathroom for a shower. When she realized it was occupied she promptly kicked the door even though she had the distinct feeling that it was Namine behind the door, probably scrubbing and scrubbing. Larxene smirked. '_It's useless…don't you get it?_' Part of her was annoyed that Namine kept trying so hard; nothing was going to change what happened. '_Don't be spiteful just because—_'

'**_DON'T GO THERE._**'

She stopped, her foot only down one stair as she listened to Axel and Roxas talking in hushed whispers. She could clearly see Riku's silver hair by the bottom of the staircase and it appeared he was on the phone talking to someone, heatedly. She had no idea where the other two were but she didn't really care that much either. All she knew was something made her stop the thought she'd just had and she had no idea why; it just sent a shiver through her. Sighing, she shook her head and continued down the stairs, ignoring Riku as she passed and walked towards the kitchen. Axel and Roxas didn't say hello and Kairi was already starting to doze off on the couch. Sora was nowhere in sight and she figured it was safe enough to go outside on the porch to have a smoke. But that idea was shot the minute she saw the brown haired youth exit the front door and disappear into the darkness. Greatly irritated, Larxene made her way to the kitchen as planned, successful in retrieving a glass of water for her parched throat. She was staring listlessly out the window when she heard vibrating on the counter behind her. Genuinely surprised, she raised a brow as she spotted a phone blinking on the counter though it had stopped vibrating. '_What the hell?_' She instantly reached for it, opening it to see who it belonged to. A picture of a guitar flashed quickly before her eyes to signal it belonged to Demyx. '_Damned Demyx…now I'll never hear the end of it._'

"A text message?" She whispered to the silence as she pressed the button to view it, her sky blue eyes narrowing at the sender. '_Graceful Assassin? What the hell?_' She scrolled down to continue viewing, all the while knowing that she was invading on privacy but she didn't really care. She was halfway through when she realized who had sent the message. '_Marluxia…? What…but haven't they been looking for him?_' Part of her was ready to flash his business to the entire neighborhood but another part of her had a plan, though it was abnormal for her. Tucking the phone into her pocket, Larxene went back up to her room just as Kairi walked outside, seeming to have awoken from her nap. Axel gave her a pointed look; she flipped him off. Roxas simply rolled his eyes and Riku waved politely to her on his way outside. She could still hear the shower running and gave up for the evening. She had a deal with Axel and, as much as she hated to admit it, she wasn't willing to go there even if it meant playing games. She wanted to live to continue playing them.

**:LINE BREAK HERE: **

Sora couldn't remember the last time he's seen Namine in the last five to ten minutes. His suspicions were confirmed when Riku entered the house looking harassed and annoyed as he plopped onto the couch next to Kairi. Roxas and Axel were discussing business and he was feeling extremely out of place until his cell phone rang. He quickly checked the caller ID log, immediately rolling his eyes when he saw who the caller was on the other end. "Hello?"

"Sora, where are you? It's late and you're supposed to be home right now. I called the house and you didn't pick up the phone."

"Are you home?" Sora fired back at the person.

"Well, no, not yet. But I will be in about ten minutes," came the exasperated reply. "Listen, mom said—"

"Look, I know what mom said, and honestly, this is utter bullshit," the young brown haired youth replied. "Stop trying to be my parents."

"I'm your older brother."

"You're so full of shit Leon—you can't even be that half of the time," Sora spat back into the receiver as he moved outside when he sensed the talk becoming hostile. "You don't even come home half of the time but you still expect me to abide by rules. Well, get this—you don't even really live with us! You're not home, just like mom and dad, so you have no say so as to what I do! I've been making my own rules and taking care of myself, and doing a pretty damned good job of it so just leave me alone." Silence ensued with the exception of Leon's angered breaths on the other end. "I don't need you or anyone else." Without another word Sora hung up the phone, falling back against the nearest pillar on the mansion porch as a tear slid down his cheek. '_I don't need them…they've practically abandoned me anyway…_'

In a sense it could be viewed as true: his mom was always on business, his dad too, and Leon—his older brother and supposed mentor—was always working late hours and pretending to live with them even though he'd left years prior for some unknown reason. He felt a sniffle coming on but stifled it just as the door opened. He made a quick swipe at his face in an attempt to dry his tears just as the figure emerged from the doorway, hidden by the shadows and the crappy light fixture hanging on the porch. It appeared the light bulb hadn't been changed in quite some time. Sora kept quiet as the figure shuffled further out onto the concrete, the blanket making a slight rustling noise as it moved. He was about to continue acting as if he wasn't there when the figure turned to him, unmoving. He felt his face flush as it moved closer after a it's initial pause, until it stopped right before him. Then it spoke, softly.

"Sora?"

He felt his face aflame. 'Shit…' collecting himself, he nodded. "Hey Kairi."

"Is everything all right? I heard you yelling and I thought…well, maybe you were fighting with somebody?" She blinked though it couldn't be seen very well in the darkness. She let out a small sniffle as the cold bit at her skin from underneath the blankets and she felt very much like sneezing. However, nothing came out, which was somewhat a relief. Her palms felt sweaty all of a sudden as she reached out to Sora, not sure if she was about to touch his face or not. She quickly retracted her fingertips when they touched his skin, and, strangely enough, what felt like liquid. '_It had to have been his eyes so…tears_?' She was speechless as he suddenly took a quick step back, retreating even further into the shadows as the silence began to intensify. She felt her skin grow hot, but whether it was from fever or something more was something she still didn't know. "Oh I…Sora, I'm sorry. I just came to check on you. I'll just be going." She was halfway inside when she heard him call to her, though very softly. "Yes?"

"Um…thanks Kairi, for…you know…checking on me," he answered in a low whisper as she nodded before disappearing into the house once again. Once gone, he leaned back against the pillar again, his weight fully supported as he felt another lone tear slide down his check. '_I just have to…grow up…what am I supposed to do?_'

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

(Finally, right? Well, things are getting good, hehehe. People's pasts are slowly unraveling, even Sora's! He's a bit hard to write into this story, I'll admit. Because he is really sweet but here…even that can go to hell at times. Ah…yes, and STILL no ACTUAL Leon appearance…but that's on its way! Blah…well, anyway, if you would like to flame me about it, please do! Flames are used to heat the glue gun for the plushie factory! Thanks to all who R & R'd…you guys rock my world and I love you. Will be working on a review thanks page in a bit. Oh, and go subscribe to the Lightening and Flowers amongst other things C2 community. It's mainly a Marluxia/Larxene C2 but anything is more than welcome! Bye for now, all!)

**_Sadistickunais_**


	9. Distraught

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think? _

**A/N: Chapter 9 is finally done, after waiting forever and ever! However, the rules have not changed. The boy/boy love shall continue (sorry all—it's STILL not the main pairing) as will the Mature themes (I.E. that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people, etc…) and that means this story is not for young ones! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. I am working hard to keep everyone in character as well as making them fit into the story's concept. The content is getting more mature and less friendly, so just know that. Okie, that's it. And most importantly, I am SOOOOO sorry it took so long. The Computer fiasco was ridiculous; still is. **

**Word coding:** ' _Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

**Distraught **

Larxene was utterly bored as she lay on her bed fiddling with her book, which was in the worst condition it'd ever been in due to her recent abuse. She knew, mentally, that the house needed a replenishment of groceries as well as other household supplies; however, she was in no mood to do this. But she knew she needed to, especially with Namine staying in the house and Roxas and Axel's heinous appetites. Not to mention that people had been over regularly as of the late and the kids had just trashed her kitchen, along with food, not too long ago. '_Gee…thanks for supervising Axel, you twit,_' she mused as she glanced over at her coat. She groaned as she looked at it knowing full well it was better to go sooner than later or Axel would be hounding her. She never really understood why he didn't do any of the shopping himself. It was as if it was a woman's job only, which she found highly sexist. Of course, Axel never said this directly and she had her reservations about him anyway since he was gay. Scowling despite the stupidity of the situation, Larxene found herself reaching for her coat in the slowest fashion possible. Thoroughly annoyed, she snatched her wallet from the makeshift bedside table and proceeded downstairs. Immediately she spotted Axel lounging on the couch, Demyx and Zexion talking in the kitchen and Roxas watching TV. Namine was nowhere in sight; she seemed to have a knack for disappearing when Larxene was around.

However, all discussions and activities ceased when she appeared at the foot of the stairs, her wisps of hair twitching wildly in the lighting as though they had minds of their own. Her scowl deepened when Axel smirked at her from his position of burning the yellow pages while Roxas merely nodded momentarily before returning his attention to the television. Demyx gave her a wide eyed look before searching from something in his pockets while Zexion shook his head. She already knew what it was Demyx was looking for but pretended to have no clue just as he walked over to her. "What?"

"Hey Larxene, have you seen my cell phone? It's been missing for a couple days and I need it to call—" he paused as if carefully choosing his next words. "Um…I just need it back. Have you seen it?"

"No," she replied flatly. "Is there anything you need in particular because I'm going shopping just this once and if I forget something then oh fucking well." No one said a word. "Fine, your loss assholes."

With that said Larxene was gone, disappearing into the cool evening air just as the street lights around the town came to life. She could see faint figures walking around from inside the crack in the wall, the one that no one seemed to care to fix anytime soon. She rolled her eyes as happy couples kissed and flirted mercilessly around the town square while shops lights came on as well. The candy shop owner was talking away with the local towns kids and she resisted the urge to throw smoke or stink bombs at them from her cache. She was itching to though, more than she let on. Stifling a chuckle, and said urge, she made her way to the "market" in order to replenish. Most of the time she went after hours where the nice store owner let her in to shop privately—the lady liked her for some strange reason. Whatever the case, she didn't understand why, for the life of her, she'd decided to go out so early for once. '_Oh…yeah…_' Remembering the reason, she quickly slipped past the market towards the bridge connecting Twilight Town to the infamous Traverse Town, which was ruled by her step-father. '_The fucking dead beat scumbag…_' she mused as she crossed over it, ignoring all the stares she received from the townsfolk for not really being seen before along with her attire of a long, black, leathery trench coat.

It seemed to be a trend all over as Axel, Roxas, Demyx and Zexion all had one as well when they'd all first met. And recently, she'd finally realized that Marluxia had one too. She shrugged it off as well placed marketing for the seller. She was already on the other side by the time she came out of her reverie, which was right before she bumped into a man wearing an obnoxious eye patch. Larxene grimaced as he turned to look at her, his exposed eye narrowing on her as she paused in the middle of his path. Suddenly his lips turned up in a wayward, somewhat perverted looking grin as he leaned towards her. For her part Larxene leaned away from him.

"Hey there little missy, are you lost or something?"

"No," she replied rudely as she began walking past him. "Get out of my way. I'm busy." She was surprised when he stepped in front of her. She felt her scowl return as she glared up at him, taking all of him in. There was the evident eye patch, graying hair pulled back in a ponytail and—'_A gun?_' Shaking her head, she backed up a little and tried again. "Listen, you're in my way buddy. What the hell gives?"

"You're not familiar with this place are ya, little missy?"

Her eyes narrowed, her fingers involuntarily gripping her hidden knives. "What the hell are you talking about, jackass?"

He smirked, raising a brow at her. "Well, if you were from here, you'd know who I am. On top of that, you wouldn't be so abrasive, especially if you're all alone."

She back pedaled as he began walking towards her. She was by no means afraid, just annoyed. "Hey asshole, just get the fuck out of my way and I won't cut you. I don't care who you are, you pirate wannabe. I couldn't careless if you were God. I'm busy and you're interfering so move it!"

"As if." At the point the man had pulled his gun and looked at it. "She's a beauty, ain't she?" She let out an exasperated breath. "Now, if you don't want her barrel in between those pretty eyes of yours, you'll listen to what I've got to say." He began raising the pistol as he spoke. "A pretty little thing like you—" His speech was cut short when he found himself face to face with four knives, all pointed at his eyes, with the young woman looking positively murderous. "…shouldn't be acting hard."

"Acting hard? I don't act, idiot," she spat back as she pushed her kunai closer to his widening eyes. Suddenly she really looked at him, taking a good look at his features again. Before either of them knew what was going on, she was lowering her weapons. "Are you…um…by any chance…Xigbar?"

"Aha…so you know my name after all, little girl." The man answered as he lowered his gun fully. "Yeah, I'm Xigbar. Who wants to know?"

"You know a Demyx, don't you?" She asked.

Xigbar suddenly did a double take. "Demyx? Hell yeah I know a Demyx. You friends with him or somethin?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't say that. But whatever. Listen…you don't remember, I guess, but we met at one of his concerts. I thought you looked familiar with that stupid ass eye patch…Xiggie" She brought the hood of her jacket down.

The older man let out a laugh. "Course I remember you now! Larxene, is it?" She nodded. "Hey! What brings you to this side of the bridge?"

"I'm…here on business," she said, unconsciously clutching the cell phone in her pocket.

"Well, don't let me get in the way," he responded. "But, it might interest you to know that my coffee shop is about five minutes that way, if you wanna get something to drink. I might even be able to help you. You game?"

Glancing at her watch, Larxene slowly nodded. "Yeah…guess I got some time to blow. Not like those jerk offs need me there right now. I could use a drink. You don't just serve coffee, do you?"

Slapping her lightly on the back with the familiarity of old time friends, Xigbar let out another laugh. "What would a coffee shop be without some good old Irish coffee?"

She offered him a small, quick nod, one that she felt was sufficient enough for someone she'd only met a couple times before. As they walked to their destination she could feel Demyx's phone vibrating in her coat pocket but she chose to ignore it for the time being. She was pretty sure she knew who it was but figured that she needed some kind of nourishment before she started her search to harass the young, flower loving youth. In truth, she didn't even know why she was bothering thinking about him let alone actually going to look for him. Annoyance welled up in the pit of her stomach as she was Xigbar's coffee shop come into view, the neon sign looking haggard but still lit. All in all, the place looked like a junk heap but she didn't really care; she'd grown up around enough of the stuff to know that it was safe even if it had been years. Glad to be out of sight from the townspeople, Larxene snagged a chair by the counter as Xigbar disappeared behind it and into the inventory room out back. The café was small, quaint even, with its comfortable chairs and small tables. But what she found most interesting were the decorations: a very large assortment of model-like but usable guns were hanging from practically every corner of the shop, littering the walls instead of typical picture frames. In fact, the only picture she saw was the one directly behind the register, which was of Xigbar—obviously—Demyx and a man with short, bleached blonde hair and pierced ears. She didn't have a clue as to who he was but she supposed it didn't really matter as Xigbar placed a cup of steaming, coffee in front of her. She could smell the liquor drifting up from within the steam and inhaled it all before she picked it up to taste it. She'd never been much of a drinker until recently, nor had she liked coffee so much but it seemed the bittersweet taste combined with the alcohol was too appealing to reject.

Once she'd set it down, Xigbar leaned over the counter and gave her a fixed stare. She felt her hands tighten around her kunai as before. Trust was something she took seriously. But he seemed harmless, for the most part, as he popped open a bottle of Jack Daniels and poured himself a shot along with some coke. Larxene was about to open her mouth to say something when he raised a hand to silence her while he took a sip. "So, Larxene…what were you doin that you were in such a rush?"

"Like I said…I'm here on business," she replied quietly as she drank more of her beverage.

"Like I said, what kind?" He shot back as he downed his second shot. "Traverse Town ain't adverse to simple business that ain't of the dirty kind. So what? You tryin to knock someone off? Listenin to the rumor mill? Lookin for someone in particular?"

His words were hitting to close to home and she didn't like it one bit. Instead of answering she buried her face in her drink as she took a rather large gulp, surprised when she actually felt the small tingle of the alcohol. Suddenly her brain became fuzzy as she felt her vision begin to blur. '_What…a ruffie_?' She recognized the familiar effects of the date-rape drug course through her; but she also knew how to fight them. "What the…fuck did you do to my drink?"

Xigbar let out a laugh as he poured himself yet another shot of whiskey. "Well, you see…somethin tells me you're not gonna tell me shit unless you're a little messed up so…I added an ingredient."

Immediately her guard went up as best as it could with the drug coursing through her system. Larxene knew she appeared pretty sane and normal but inside her body was fighting. Leaned back in her chair a little, she sighed. "What the fuck is it with all you men? So fucking shady…always needing to feel so in control…and using shit because you couldn't get a girl to like you…" she gave him a disgusted look. "Or to fuck you."

He raised his hands as if in surrender. "As if little miss. I know I could get a girl; I don't need drugs for that shit. I use mine for conventional purposes only."

"How conventional," she spat as she glared at him.

"They don't seem to be affectin you so much, so what gives?"

She glared harder. "Nothing. It's none of your damn business."

He was about to open his mouth when someone called to him from the back. Instead of going however, he yelled. "Yeah, flower boy…just fuckin leave. I don't have time for this right now."

As if nothing was wrong, Larxene snapped forward, grabbing the collar of Xigbar's shirt. "What did you just say?"

"I said the drug ain't affectin you so—"

"No, your worker…what did you just call him?"

Xigbar gave her a puzzled look. "Flower boy?"

Before he could say anything else about her sudden question Larxene had hopped over the counter and ran to the back just as the exit door slammed shut. '_Shit…_' she mentally swore as she ran, threw open the door and disappeared into the cooling night air. She could see a figure walking a good amount of feet in front of her and made to run after it. However, she could also feel the effects of the drug really beginning to set in as she made her way towards the person. Suddenly her vision blurred and she couldn't see where she was walking anymore. '_I can't fucking believe this…he must have used more than one…can't believe I let my guard down…fucking idiot…_' she swore again and again as simple standing became harder. She began to feel faint and she had but a moment before she'd fall over and pass out, she knew. Reeling herself to stay sane, she managed to call out to the cloaked figure before she collapsed onto the cobble-stoned ground, her world going black.

Up ahead, the figure turned, his face annoyed. '_Who the hell is calling to me? Hayner didn't even work today and it sounded female…_' Sighing, he looked around, not seeing anyone in his direct line of vision. Shrugging, he started to walk back to where the shout came from as he pondered. '_I only know two females from this area and I doubt Namine is—' _And just like that his thoughts cut off as he spotted the heap laying on the ground not too far away from the street lamp, which looked like it was about to burn out. More out of curiosity than genuine shock, he made his way over to inspect what it was. He felt a small gasp leave his throat as he stared at the fallen form of the young woman on the ground. "Larxene?" he whispered to no one as he registered the wisps of golden hair laying flat against her matted hair. He could see the sheen of sweat covering her forehead and even though she was unconscious he could see her body trembling. '_What the hell is going on?_' Feeling even shittier by the second, he reached down to pick her up, not sure where he was going to take her. Definitely not the youth hostel; there wasn't anything that could be done in that hell hole of a place. The only place he could think of was Xigbar's and judging by where she'd fallen, she'd been coming from that general direction.

However, something told him that might not be the best idea. Wracking his brain in complete desperation, Marluxia tried to find somewhere to take. Only one place kept popping up and he didn't want to take her there. It was one of the last places he wanted to be at the moment. But still, even after about a few minutes of thinking he could come up with nothing and Larxene wasn't looking any better. If anything, she'd actually started shaking and was whispering incoherently in his arms. When he was younger, full grown panic might have set in but at this point in his life he didn't have a reason to do that. Instead he decided that maybe it was better if he took her to that awful youth hostel since it didn't seem like he had much of a choice. Angered that he had no place else, he simply returned to his original direction, only this time he picked up the pace. Whether it was for her sake or his he didn't have the slightest clue. As it was, things were already pretty crappy as Demyx hadn't answered his text messages for about a week now, and he had the feeling that the musician had lost his phone. At any rate it seemed to be one of the trivial things to think about in his current situation.

When the youth hostel finally came into view Marluxia began to feel sick, dreading having to deal with Hayner when he got to his bed. Steeling himself for the onslaught he walked in, straight past everybody who might ask questions until he arrived at his bunker. Surprisingly Hayner was not present, his bunk cleared off with only his bedding remaining. Marluxia raised a brow. '_He never said anything about leaving…oh, who gives a shit…_' he thought as he placed Larxene on his bottom bunk. Her limp arms instantly flopped on the sides of the bed as she lay there as if she was dead. '_What the fuck happened to her? It's like someone drugged her…_' His face went ashen. '_Someone DID drug her!_' He'd seen the symptoms before, usually on girls at parties his friends had when he was in High School. He remembered a few incidents and he berated himself for remembering them; they were part of what he was trying to forget. Aggravated by everything, he searched his small bag to see if he had anything he could wet to wipe off her head and cool her rising temperature. His last choice was his only washcloth, which he didn't like to share with anyone, so he used it since there was nothing else other than a sock or a pair of his boxers. Once wet, he began wiping her forehead and all the sweat he found on her face and surrounding areas such as her neck and her ears. However, he soon realized that he'd need to remove her heavy, black leather coat that looked like it was baking her from within. He felt his cheeks redden.

He didn't even want to touch her, mainly because she was totally crazy and dangerous. He still had battle scars from their last encounter. Shaking his head, he knew he had to do the right thing no matter how much he didn't want to, especially with her. His fingers found the zipper, making quick work of it before having to practically peel it from her sweaty skin, the leather sticking as he pulled it off. Nevertheless she made no movements as he stripped her down to her only layer; his eyes almost popped out of their sockets from her dress—or lack thereof. It appeared that Larxene seemed to wear very little clothes as he took in her state of dress: a simple tank top and underwear. He felt his cheeks burning at this though he knew he could not let her sleep in the hostel in such clothing. Begrudgingly he pulled his pair of pajama pants from his bag and gingerly slid them up her bare legs. She seemed to come to a little at his touch, her head rising a little before she murmured something incoherent, then fell back onto the bed, unconscious again. He felt relief flood his tense body as he pulled his covers over her before taking a seat next to her still body, his head falling to his hands as he tried to grasp the situation in its entirety. He would have pondered it longer had he not felt and heard vibrating from Larxene's coat, which was currently sitting in a heap next to him.

More than annoyed, and not quite sure he could handle any more surprises for the night, he chose to ignore the buzzing as he went back to his thoughts. At this point he knew he would have to stay up and watch her just to make sure nothing happened to her, incase her condition changed, and mostly, because there was nowhere for him to sleep. He hated being responsible; it was what got him into trouble in the first place. But as time passed, and his thoughts began to fade into nothingness, he found himself looking at her sleeping form. And though she didn't look the least bit peaceful, for some strange reason he found that for once, in a long time, he could actually close his eyes. He wasn't sure what was going to happen tomorrow but as before, for once he couldn't care less.

**::Line Break::**

Grogginess was something Larxene had never favored though it was completely familiar to her since she spent many a night smoking and drinking with Axel before Namine came over. However, today it was particularly not welcomed as she tried to remember where she was and what she had been doing. She was about to mumble something when she heard someone speaking.

"You've been out for two days, incase you wanted to know."

Automatically she pulled the covers up over her body though she was, to her own surprise, wearing pajama pants over her normally uncovered legs. "What…how the hell did I get here?" She glanced around. "What is here?"

Marluxia sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. He'd been in the youth hostel for two days straight, even neglecting work though he figured Xigbar didn't care too much as the older man hadn't bothered to call. "It doesn't matter. What in the seven levels of hell are you doing here, you crazy woman?"

She blanched, annoyed but not so shocked at his response. "I was just passing through, not that it's any of your business."

He shook his head. "Yeah, fine, whatever. Anyway…your phone was vibrating. You might want to answer it."

He had started to exit the large room, which was surprisingly filled with only a few people, when she called out to him. "Hey."

Marluxia cringed as she called to him, not really wanting to deal with her. "What?"

"Why two days?"

He scowled. "You were drugged. Don't you remember?"

She wracked her brain for the instance but couldn't seem to recall; everything was fuzzy. Angered that she hadn't been able to combat the effects as she had when she was younger, Larxene let her head fall to her hands in frustration. "No I…what the fuck does it matter if it happened again anyway?" She was mumbling more to herself but Marluxia still strained to hear. She didn't give it a second thought as she stood up, reached for her coat and threw it over her shoulder. "See ya around…maybe."

He gawked at her as she passed by him, through the entrance and into the wide open town where the sun was shining brightly. She'd walked off with his only pair of pajama pants and she hadn't even said thank you even though he hadn't expected it from her judging by previous experience. Nonetheless, he felt a sudden urge to chase after her but restrained himself as she disappeared into the blaring sunlight outside. The weather change was welcomed as it had been raining on and off for days on end and he was glad that at least now he wouldn't get wet. Crazy as everything was around him, Marluxia couldn't bring himself to return to Demyx's; he just didn't want to hear the whiny musician when he came back. But his attention was pulled away when he noticed Larxene's cell phone lying on the bed, vibrating like it was the gadget's prime existence. Curious as to why she didn't bother to come back for it, let alone take it in the first place, he picked it up and flipped open the top. He felt his eyes widen when he saw the caller ID flashing Zexion's name. Judging by the picture on the screensaver, he had the distinct feeling that he wasn't holding Larxene's phone. In fact, he had the sickening feeling it belonged to someone he'd been trying to reach for ages but hadn't been able to get a hold of for days. Squeezing the phone in annoyance, he found himself finally chasing after Larxene, barely managing to find her on her way across the bridge back into Twilight town. She didn't look the least bit bothered by all the people giving her odd looks about her choice of dress, which happened to be her thick, heavy, hot black coat with her hood pulled up. He knew it was her just by the coat itself.

She was already over the bridge by the time he caught her, snagging the corner of her sleeve as her arm swayed back reflexively. Annoyed that she was being harassed again, Larxene whirled around, almost punching Marluxia in the face as she swung her fist in his general direction. Her shock faded as she realized it was Marluxia; she didn't want him to see her that way. For his part Marluxia look thoroughly irritated, his arm still in its position of blocking her punch.

"Hey, where the hell do you get off?"

She scowled. "Where the fuck do YOU get off, you girly jackass?"

Rubbing his temples, Marluxia gave her a sarcastic smirk. "Listen, why do you have Demyx's phone?"

She blanched, her hands automatically flying to her pockets. '_Shit._' She didn't have the phone! Keeping her face as nonchalant as possible, she waved it away as though it weren't as big a deal as she'd just made it. "Why does it matter? I picked it up instead of mine. Common mistake, so what?"

"In any other instance I'd say that was true but in your case…it doesn't seem right," he snickered. "You don't seem like the type who "just" does something for no reason, let alone make "common mistakes" as you so delicately put it."

Feeling ready to explode, Larxene gave him a loathing look as she flipped him off. "I don't care what _you_ think flower boy. Go bother someone else with your petty assumptions. I have to go."

Marluxia said nothing more as she disappeared over the bridge and into Twilight Town without so much as a second glance his way. He sighed in annoyance as he felt a headache coming. He wasn't sure if he could handle much more of either town or its occupants. But he knew one thing, and that was that Demyx needed his phone back. _'But how is he gonna get it?'_ He did not want to return to Twilight Town, at least for the time being. Instead he decided mailing it anonymously was the best solution. Five seconds later he was filling out an address on top of a form for overnight delivery, which he assumed was stupid since he didn't have much money. But he knew he needed Demyx as his contact or else he'd go somewhat insane, though he would never admit that to anyone. He was, as in his friend's phone, the Graceful Assassin, never showing much or fearing much or feeling much for that matter. He was a blank slate without knowledge of how to feel, according to many people he'd known in the past. It was true that he was more calculated and calmer, more level headed and methodical than most people. In other's eyes, he was an enigma yet to be deciphered, everything "normal" people wanted to be seen as in everyday, boring life. But inside Marluxia was screaming to be what everyone else was though it'd never show. Being nonchalant and somewhat emotionless had its perks just like it had its downfalls, something he'd been learning to cope with the hard way—lately. Shaking his head he started back in the direction of the hostel, hoping to receive some sleep before Xigbar decided to finally call him in for work.

A few hours later found him back at work and hating it. His boss had called him just as he was straightening himself out after his "eventful night," which was putting it lightly, he thought. He let out an aggravated sigh as Xigbar's singing filtered into the back room while Marluxia tried to stock the coffee into the empty, stainless steel shelves before him. Hayner hadn't been to work in a few days, and it was a sudden wonder why he'd disappeared so soon, not to mention where. Sighing again just as Xigbar's voice hit a high note—and cracked suddenly—that sounded awful, Marluxia returned to his idle thoughts. Blocking out the terrible sound was his first job but his thoughts kept drifting back to Larxene. He couldn't shake it, the idea of her being a horrible fake. He knew she was faking it, all of it. But what the _it_ actually was, well, he didn't know. He had his suspicions though. In the meantime he figured it was best to drop it until he could actually get along with his friend again, and then fire questions at the musician. Even if Demyx hadn't broken the first time, after a few more tries Marluxia knew he would. And there was something sick about knowing his friend's weakness and playing on it—sick indeed. Sighing as he heard Xigbar continue to sing in his oh-so-special off key voice, the young man simply let his head hit the shelves in front of him while continuously cursing. '_Damn my life.'_

**::Line Break::**

Larxene prepared herself for the onslaught as she walked through the gates leading to the mansion. She was sure people would wonder where she'd been the past couple of days but wasn't so sure anyone would ask. Nevertheless, she felt the need to prepare incase anyone did ask and she felt like giving them all death looks or ripping Axel's throat. A small, defiant, sadistic smile came to her face at the thought of Axel screaming for mercy at her hands, though something told her he'd never do that. Therefore, to say she was surprised was an understatement, to the least. Larxene was pretty much floored when Axel stayed completely silent as she marched through the living room. Axel didn't even spare her a glance as he continued reading the newspaper in his hand, which he seemed quite enthralled to have in his grasp. Larxene had no clue what it was, and she couldn't believe he was so passionate about reading whatever it might be. Part of her wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to stop faking interest when it was so unlike him; but her pride did not allow this so she simply ignored him and proceeded upstairs. She ignored the soft sobs that arose from Namine's room, mainly because she had no idea what to do for her sister. She didn't know if she could do anything. '_Useless…_' she thought as she dropped her coat on the floor, ignoring the unfamiliar itch of Marluxia's pajama bottoms.

Contrary to what the people living in her house thought she tended to sleep relatively bare clothed since Twilight Town was so hot, most of the time. Sighing in annoyance, she kicked the book again instead of drinking away her frustration as per the usual of her nightly activities. She was ready to spark up her cigarette when she noticed her phone blinking with the telling of a new voicemail message, or a text. At the moment she wanted nothing more than to chuck it across the room in hopes that it would shatter to a million pieces. She'd laugh. But instead she opened it and felt her eyes narrow in utter disbelief. '_That fucking bastard…_' she was clutching her phone so hard she felt it cracking in her hand.

When a minute ago she was ready to rest she was now ready to put her hands around her step-father's neck and kill him, take away every ounce of his breath. '_Pay you back for everything you've done, you sick son of a bitch,_' she felt a piece of her phone slip to the floor beneath her, clattering loudly. Other pieces began to follow, slowly falling to the ground beneath her feet; but this time it was soundless to her ears. All she could hear were his agonized screams as she made him sorry for all the awful, morally wrong things he'd done, the offensive, heinous acts he'd committed. She wanted him to hurt, to suffer as she had for years, to feel the pain she couldn't rid herself of even now. She wanted to stab him, hit him, anything to make him pay. '_Make him pay,_' she felt the last broken piece fall. "I'm going to make you pay."

Meanwhile, downstairs, Axel and Roxas had migrated to the loveseat couch located by the fireplace, their legs interlaced, the red-head cradling Roxas against his chest. The blonde appeared to be sleeping but was staring idly at the fire as it burned peacefully in its spot, releasing a crackle every now and then. Zexion and Demyx had moved to the kitchen to make tea and were talking in hushed whispers. None of them, they'd agreed previously, were to say anything to Larxene when she returned. Axel had thrown a fit as teasing her was his favorite pasttime; but Roxas convinced him otherwise. Upstairs Larxene had begun packing up her small bag, stuffing it with necessities and clothing. It was time and she'd been ready for years. She knew what she had to do, and even though she'd just returned and was extremely disoriented and tired, she refused to let that stop her. There was so much she had to accomplish, and she'd be damned to hell if she let mere fatigue get in her way. She was almost out her doorway when she fell back against the frame, shivering as goosebumps overcame the surface of her skin. She gripped the door so hard she thought it might break like her phone; the images didn't stop.

_Flashback_

"_Good evening, it's so good that you could make it!"_

_Larxene rolled her eyes as Cora continued to fawn over the man sitting across from her at the dinner table. Mr. Sumitse was his name. He was a wealthy businessman that the family had known for quite some years, mainly because he had helped both Larxene's parents arrive at their current state of living: being rich. However, Larxene had suspected that for quite some time now, Cora and Mr. Sumitse were having an affair. She never told her father or said anything to her mother. All she really did was hang out with her friends and drown herself in school or work so that there was no need to really acknowledge what was happening. However, there were those rare occasions when Mr. Sumitse came over—which wasn't really rare since it was every Saturday for dinner—and she had to sit there, staring at the dysfunction as though it was a part of her normal life, which it was. Sighing, Larxene brought her attention back to the present where Mr. Sumitse was talking amiably with her mother while her father conversed with their chef in the kitchen, oblivious as usual. She was returning her stare to her table set when she heard her name._

"_Yes?"_

"_Ah…young miss Larxene…not so young anymore, I see," he said, a creepy smile placing his lips._

_She hated his smiles; they made her uneasy. "Yes, I suppose so."_

"_Isn't she just darling? She is such an impeccable young woman!" Cora gushed, practically falling over herself to talk to her business partner._

_Larxene wanted desperately to melt into a puddle at that moment, and just disappear. "Mother…"_

"_No, no. Your mother is quite right, Miss Larxene," he replied, nodding, his eyes boring holes into her own sky blue pair as he leaned back, his gaze somewhat unreadable. "By the way, Cora, I was wondering, would you like to spend a weekend up in the mountains with the business firm?" Upon Cora's joyous yet somehow modest shout of agreement, he smiled broadly, "Well, please do bring your family."_

_Larxene chose this moment to excuse herself to the kitchen. "Mother, I'm going to go speak to father." When her mother didn't respond, she simply left, rolling her eyes along the way; Mr. Sumitse had that effect on her mother. Once in the kitchen, she walked up to her father who had just finished conversing with the cook and was laughing heartily. "Father, is dinner ready yet?"_

_Her father nodded. "Almost dear. And where is Namine?"_

"_Upstairs, still getting ready," she replied. "I'll go get her." She was up the stairs within minutes, and moments later she was knocking loudly on Namine's door. "Namine? Dad says dinner is almost ready and it's time to come out."_

"_No, I don't want to." The response was muffled and Larxene had to strain to hear it._

"_Why not? Is something wrong? Are you scared to come out of your room?" She gave the door a hard shove when Namine refused to open it, forcing her way inside her little sister's room. Once in, she saw Namine sitting at her vanity with her usual sketchpad and set of fancy watercolor colored pencils, drawing furiously on the white sheet of paper. Curious, Larxene walked up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Namine, what are you drawing?"_

"_He's a bad man, Larxene, and I don't like him."_

_She blinked. "Who, Mr. Sumitse?" Namine nodded and Larxene sighed; she couldn't agree more since he just gave her the creeps ever since she caught him staring at her during dinner a couple years back. "Yes, I understand how you feel Namine. But mom and dad said this is the last dinner for a few months since Mr. Sumitse will be out of town after that. Just…let's get it over with, ok? Then we can…I don't know…go for some sea-salt ice cream with Uncle Ansem or something?"_

_Namine perked up at the mention of their favorite uncle. "Ok, ok…just this last time...for a while." _

_As Namine exited, Larxene took a look at her sister's sketchpad. On the white sheet was a man who looked an awful lot like Mr. Sumitse, gripping a young woman by her arms and backed against a wall, terrified. The scene looked completely lewd and lecherous, and Larxene felt a shiver run down her spine as she observed the drawing. Namine tended to pick up on things other people did not; she only hoped this picture wasn't anything that did or could happen. The disgust rising in the back of her throat shook her from her reverie just in time for her father to call her downstairs. Putting the image aside, she made her way down the stairs and entered the large dining room where Mr. Sumitse and her father were conversing. Cora had disappeared and Namine was seated as far away from Mr. Sumitse as possible. Larxene made a disappointed face when she realized she had to sit across from him--she cringed. Namine gave her a sympathetic smile, knowing full well that her older sister hated the man. But Larxene nodded nonetheless, not wanting Namine anywhere near him. If anything, she was ready for the night to be over just as she saw her mother return, her face flushed and hair only slightly out of place. Larxene snorted. 'Mother…you're just sick.' _

_Flashback_

Larxene dropped her bag as he arms encompassed herself, hugging herself tight as tears threatened to fall from her closed eyes. The flashback was completely not welcomed--and totally unexpected--as she felt her body trembling. She wanted to run, to hide, to disappear as the memories came flooding back in a river of pain and disgust. But most of all, the one thing she wanted to do, she knew she wouldn't. Backing up slowly, she reentered her room, back first, closed the door and slid down against the wall. After a few moments she brought her eyes from behind her hands to look out the window. Outside, the moon was shining brightly, and she turned her head away--for the first time in years--in fear.

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

(Finally, right, right?! So there was a little more about Larxene and her past, and this chapter did focus on Mar/Larx more than the others! I'm sorry of Mar is outta chara, but he IS kinda hard to write since not THAT much of his personality is fleshed out in the manga and Chain of Memories. I'm working with limited stuff here, but hey, I'm doin my research! A VERY special thanks to all who R & R'd and who are still reading…you guys rock my world and I love you! Bye for now, all!)

_**Sadistickunais**_


	10. Vindication

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or CoM so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, doncha think? _

**A/N: Chapter 10 is here after a whole year…or something like that! The rules have not changed. The boy/boy love shall continue (sorry all—it's STILL not the main pairing) as will the Mature themes (I.E. that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people, etc…) and that means this story is not for young ones! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. The content hasn't changed either. It may seem overly harsh and if it is, well, why the hell are you still reading? I apologize for it taking so long. School was killer this year. **

**Word coding:** '_Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

**VINDICATION**

_It had been a long day at school for him, longer than most, as he trudged his way home with a heavy certainty that he was not going to complete his English essay that night. To his left his little brother continued to playing with his pencil pouch as thought the thing held wonders that would never cease. Annoyed, Marluxia rolled his eyes and continued to look ahead for both of them so that neither of them would fall over trip. It had begun to get cooler—not that it was ever very hot in Hollow Bastion—and the styles had changed to longer coats, skirts, pants and scarves. Occasionally he'd see a girl or two still sporting shorts or little camisoles but even then they were pretty layered. Truth be told girls would wear anything, no matter how cold or hot, to draw attention to themselves. He had his fair share of those girls too, being a popular junior and all. He wasn't a jock and he wasn't a nerd. Normal social standards didn't seem to apply at Hollow Bastion High. However, he was popular enough that he got all the ladies—and guys—that he might have wanted. More than enough, now that he stopped to think about it. His thoughts were broken at a tug at his sleeve. He blinked before turning to look at his brother. _

"_Yeah, what is it you little brat?"_

_His brother scowled. "You're such a jerk, Marluxia."_

_Marluxia let out a small chuckle as he ruffled the younger boy's hair until it became wild. "Yeah, yeah, so you've told me numerous times. What is it?"_

"_Are you coming to my play?"_

_The long haired boy rolled his eyes as a smile placed his lips. "Like I'd miss it you little dork."_

_The younger one let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks."_

"_No problem. Now, how about some ice cream to celebrate your big brother's promotion in fencing class?"_

"_Hey, what about MY promotion to star role in the play?"_

_Marluxia pretended to be thoughtful but at his little brother's unbelievable gaping wide face, he started to laugh. "Of course! To you and me then!"_

**:Line Break:**

_Later that night found Marluxia pouring; aimlessly it seemed, over his English paper as he tried to figure out what to write about. His topic was lame to say the least and he hated the book even more—Grapes of Wrath tended to make most people sleep. He was jotting down notes when he heard his door open, and heard more than saw his brother come in. Rolling over, he made room on the bed for the little boy to climb on. Once there, Marluxia resumed his note taking. "Hey Jacob, what's going on?" Said little brother buried his face into Marluxia's pillow, shaking his head profusely. Worried, Marluxia sat up and lifted his little brother to face him. "Hey, Jacob, is something wrong?" Only when Jacob looked up did he notice the bruise forming on his eye. Aghast, the older boy hugged him as Jacob started to cry. "Who did this to you?"_

_One word came out in the softest whisper. "Daddy…"_

_Enraged, Marluxia gently placed his brother down before giving him a weak smile. "Jacob, I want you to stay here for a minute. Big brother is going to go have a talk with mommy and daddy." His blood was boiling as he began to walk away only to have Jacob clutch his sleeve. "Jacob?"_

"_No Mar, please don't go. Daddy will hurt you, like he's hurting mommy. I…I tried to stop him, I did but he…"_

_Marluxia had heard enough. He quickly shushed the frightened, crying boy as he handed him some notebook paper and a pen. "Just draw Mar a pretty picture, ok? I'll be right back."_

_It was a moment before he'd reached his parents door and heard his mom being slapped around. He threw the door open just in time for his dad to snatch him by the arm, pull him in and lay a hard knuckled punch to his abdomen. Marluxia tried to catch his breath before he was yanked up and felt a fist smash in his chest. He stumbled back, hearing the terrified cries of his mother as his father beat him instead of her. He could hear her screaming and saw her pulling at his dad, shouting the entire time. By the time he was finally able to gain his footing he could feel the bruises forming and feel blood dripping from his left temple. He wiped at it, trying to focus his vision as his mother's cries died down to sobbing and he saw his dad removing his belt, his face laughing and sweaty as he folded the leather in half, raising into the air. _

"_Dad…"_

"_Shut up, you little faggot. This is what you deserve for butting in when you're not supposed to," his dad spat as he brought the belt down hard onto Marluxia's bare shoulder. _

_Delaney screamed. "Lionel, stop it, please! Leave him alone!"_

"_Woman, shut the fuck up!" Lionel deftly back handed his wife onto the mattress where she fell, clutching her jaw in pain. It seemed to silence her enough for him to return his attention to Marluxia's crouched form on the floor. "Can't have this stupid, dim-witted wench taking all my attention away from you now, can I, boy?"_

"_Fuck you, you son of a bitch," Marluxia replied, blood leaking from his lips from being punched in the jaw as well. "I don't care what the hell you think. I'm not a fag and you're a bastard."_

"_What did you say, you ungrateful little prick?" _

"_I said—" He didn't get more than that out before his dad slapped his face with the belt. Marluxia felt the sting across his cheek as more blood fell from his mouth. He felt tears prick his eyelids but did not allow them to fall just as he heard another voice enter the room. "Jacob…"_

"_Daddy, stop it please!" The little boy cried as he tugged hard at his dad's pant leg. "Leave mommy alone, leave Mar alone! Please daddy!"_

"_Shut up you brat," Lionel shouted as he threw Jacob away where he hit the edge of the lamp desk. Delaney's book fell on top of the boy's head and knocked him out cold. _

_Marluxia let out a low growl though he could feel his ribcage aching; he knew his dad had broken at least one of them from all the kicking. Nevertheless, he couldn't—wouldn't—let his dad hurt his little brother anymore. He didn't even know how his dad found them, let alone made it to their general vicinity. He had a restraining order but Marluxia knew his mother better than that. She wouldn't report it. She never did. It was always him who made her do such things, made her report, made her get the order in the first place. But somehow the bastard always found them, one way or another, and she didn't make him leave. Marluxia knew that if he reported his father to the police they'd go to foster care. In their current situation—mom was jobless, Marluxia only worked 15 hours a week—the family and federal courts would get rid of them, place them in foster care or have them adopted. If he had known of any close relatives he would have gladly called the police on his abusive father. He came back to reality when he saw his father headed towards his brother's limp form. Gathering enough strength to stand, the chestnut haired youth called out to his father just as the grown man was about to grab the boy by his hair. Delaney's cries died immediately as Lionel turned around to face Marluxia. _

"_Hey, stay the hell away from Jacob, you abusive bastard," he spat._

_Lionel smirked, eerily. "What did you say, you little fag?"_

_Delaney spoke up, her voice soft and hitched from crying. "Marluxia, please…don't—"_

_He silenced her. "Shut up mom. I'm sick of this, sick of him and all this shit that he's done to us—especially to you and Jacob. I'm not going to leave for college or anything like that until he's gone from here, and I know you two are safe. So don't tell me to back down. I won't. He doesn't deserve your pity or mercy, not one bit." Glaring at his father, he spit at him, the color tinged red from blood. "Get out of this house. You don't control us. We aren't your property. You can't hit mom anymore. And you better keep your grimy, disgusting hands away from my little brother. Or I'll make you sorry."_

_Lionel laughed at the display, incredulous. "Fucking kid…" He started advancing towards Marluxia at a slow, hostile pace. Taunting, even. "You think you can tell me what to do?"_

_Marluxia didn't back down. Instead he reached behind him and grabbed the bat his mom conveniently kept by her nightstand for protection in cases such as this one. Raising it in front of him, he slowly circled the room until he was right next to Jacob and his father was facing opposite of him. Delaney was still, only the occasional whimper leaving her mouth. "One more step, one more hit and I swear I'll fucking bash your no good, useless, piece of a shit brain right in." The young man smirked nastily. "And believe me…no one in this world is going to miss your abusive, sorry ass." _

_Lionel let out a silent chuckle, not believing a word his kid said. At this Marluxia nodded her head towards Jacob. Immediately Delaney scrambled to the floor, reaching for Jacob and pulling him close as she began to back up from where Marluxia was facing her husband. Had she known Lionel would be such an abusive man she would never had married him. However, when they first started going out he'd been so gentle, so loving towards her and Marluxia. But a little over seven years into their relationship things went sour. Marluxia was 11 and Jacob was a newborn when the beatings first started. Although she kept it hidden from Marluxia for a couple years it eventually leaked out and Lionel had ended up hitting her son. Once Marluxia had turned 14 he had managed to help them get away from Lionel. By then he'd been pretty damaged from the violence but he did his best to use it as fuel to be stronger for his mother and little brother; she could see it in his eyes. He'd managed, at 14, to take both she and Jacob away from the man she once trusted—from their father. They'd constantly had to keep uprooting as Lionel always managed to find them—although she'd never admit it, she'd been leaking information to him despite Marluxia's attempts to keep them safe._

'_God…I don't know why…he only hurts us every time. You'd think I'd have learned this by now…' She never understood why she did it but she would never tell Marluxia for fear that he'd be angry; and she knew he would be. At the age of 17 ½ now, Marluxia was like their caretaker where she deemed herself to weak to do so. She'd heard all about it her whole life, how women in domestic Violence relationships ended up putting themselves in harms way on purpose. 'Of course I did…but I never thought it'd be me doing it to myself and my children.' She was ashamed but not of Marluxia or Jacob—they were strong and they held that part of Lionel that she was also afraid of; but they were not violent unnecessarily. _

_She broke from her reverie when she saw Marluxia pinned to a wall, Lionel now holding the bat. Out of fear, she jumped from the bed right as Lionel brought the bat down towards Marluxia's skull. "LIONEL, NO!"_

**:Line Break:**

Marluxia awakened with a surprised start to find that it was still dark outside. He felt sweat beaded at his forehead and his skin was clammy as though he'd been sweating much more. However, he realized, not too many minutes later, that he'd had a nightmare. Tremors laced through his body with the remembrance of everything he tried to forget. '_Jacob…_' The name was a haunting whisper that never seemed to leave him no matter how hard he willed for it. His brown hair, sweaty and damp, was matted to his head and his chest was slick with perspiration. His head was swimming with thoughts that he'd been trying to forget, trying to make go away so he wouldn't have to see them or hear them anymore. '_Seems like I've failed at it_,' he mused as he threw the covers off oh him—or tried rather. They clung to his wet skin and he became thoroughly aggravated as he sat there, not sure whether he should get some water or go out for a midnight stroll. While these strolls were dangerous in a place like Traverse Town he'd been on enough of them by himself, which he now figured was reason to say he would be fine if he took another. He knew the café was still open since he had worked the graveyard shift a couple of times since his hire but somehow he doubted he'd want to see Xigbar after such a nightmare, even if it was for a shot of liquor. Growling quietly in frustration he finally decided to take the walk, maybe even venture into someplace he didn't know.

With his decision made Marluxia peeled his covers off, threw on his thick black coat and walked straight past the front desk area without a word. Minutes later he was outside in the open air breathing in the not-so-fresh atmosphere of Traverse town. The riff-raff was all over, prostitutes on corners with crack dealers, pimps strutting up and down the block and all the while he could see the bright neon sign of Xigbar's café shop blinking as though it would soon burn out. Rolling his eyes he took a left turn at a corner where a hooker was waiting. She tried to get him to go with her but he adamantly refused, to which she called him a "fag." He ignored her ignorant comment as he continued on his way until the noise faded out. Soon the silence enveloped him and he was sure that was not a good thing. Silence in Traverse Town practically screamed of awful things, death and murder. Clenching his fists together he continued on his way until he was in the Third District, a place which was usually off limits to townsfolk after 9:00 curfew. Apparently it was that bad but nevertheless he kept on, not the least bit afraid. It seemed that was a direct result of his past. Chuckling bitterly to himself, he realized he was almost out of the third district when a man with long, black braided hair stepped in front of him. The man wore a finely pressed suit in the deepest shade of black imaginable. To his side was another man, though Marluxia thought he looked more like a boy, in a suit as well, his blonde hair slicked back and a scar between his eyes. Next to him was a girl with an appearance that threw him off like no other. She had red eyes, silver hair pulled back into a bun, and she wore a short, Chinese styled dress. Her facial expression was cold, impassive even.

He gave them a brief but pointed stare before trying to move past them. When they did not budge Marluxia began to glare. "What's the deal? You're blocking my way."

"No one is allowed into this district without permission," the blonde supplied, his voice laced with attitude.

"Oh?" Marluxia rolled his eyes. "Where do I get that?"

"Boss," said the girl.

When she said nothing more Marluxia sighed. "And…who is this boss?"

"We can't tell you that, ya know?" The one wearing a deep blue suit replied.

Marluxia had been feeling rather annoyed as of the late, full of pent up emotions he didn't usually express, which is why he was so testy. He felt as though if the blonde said another word, he be meeting a very special friend—Marluxia's fist. Calming himself as much as possible, he managed to get out the next few sentences with some ease. "Listen, I don't care about you or your boss. But I want to go through this district. So either you take me to him, or," he glared harder at the blonde. "You get the fuck out of my way, you pansies."

The man with the long black hair stepped in front of the shorter young man, his eyes hard and angry. "Young man, what is it that you hope to accomplish by angering us?"

The brown haired youth sighed impatiently. "I'm not trying accomplish shit with you losers," he spat as he crossed his arms. "I'm trying to take a damn walk, and you four are just being extremely inconsiderate."

"Danger," the girl replied.

Marluxia noted she seemed to be full of one word response. She had yet to say a full sentence. However, he had little time to contemplate this when the tall man in the all black suit darted forward with a fist aimed straight for the youth's face. Luckily, Marluxia was no pushover and managed to block it before it hit his face. His eyes narrowed as he felt the hard knuckled punch connect with his arm, a slight twinge coursing through him at the contact. He would have a bruise at the most, he knew. Inhaling slowly, his eyes met that of the older man burning fire as he glared. "What. The. Fuck. Is. Your. Problem?"

The taller man smirked. "You are not allowed here, young one."

The brown haired youth's glare hardened. "I'm not that young so spare me your shit, you cock sucking asshole."

"Quite a mouth on you," the man replied. He took a step back though the challenging spark in his eyes had yet to fade as he beckoned for the other three young ones to come forward. "Seifer, Fuu, Rai, come here. I think it's time we left. The boss will be waiting." They all nodded before turning and walking away, except for the tall one. He turned to Marluxia one more time, his eyes dancing with malice as he shot Marluxia a smile. "You'd do well to watch where you go in this town, boy." Marluxia was about to retort nastily but hardly had time when he felt a fist connect with his stomach. He gasped for breath as he registered the man's next words. "The name is Xaldin, and you'd do best, you little shit, to watch yourself here. And wash that mouth out. We can't have you corrupting the fine youth of our town, now, can we?"

He vaguely heard chuckles and laughs before he fell to the floor, gasping for breath again and again. He heard them slowly walking away, and he tried to stand but only succeeded in collapsing a bit when he realized that either the fucker had broken a rib or had bruised his bones very badly. Hissing, he used all his strength to stand and watch the assholes walking away, his eyes narrowed and eyebrow creased in anger. '_I've had enough fucking beatings in my life._' Knowing it would be unwise to charge in, he watched, his look stony as the blonde boy turned to spare him one last glance. Their eyes met and Marluxia smirked, pointing his finger at him before mouthing the words, "Yeah, you little fuck head. You're next. I'm going to kill every last one of you, just you wait." The blonde seemed to understand this but only flipped him off, which made Marluxia's smirk widen as they finally disappeared. Back in the silence of the third district Marluxia let out a painful chuckle. "That was your biggest mistake."

After a few minutes he managed to make his way, albeit painfully, back towards the hostel. But when he saw the building come into view he took a quick detour through the path and into the back of Xigbar's coffee shop where he found his boss chatting with someone at the counter. Hayner was present, out of nowhere it seemed, and was filling the coffee orders as a young girl took the orders at the register. Her name, when she'd turned to him briefly, read Olette. '_Hm…she must be new then,_' he mused as he walked past her until he'd reached Xigbar. He yanked at the man's ear before stepping back so as to avoid the man's retaliating punch as reflex. Annoyed, Marluxia slapped Xigbar on the back of the head before glancing around the shelves. Xigbar looked perplexed.

"What are you doing here girly boy? You don't have a shift till tomorrow."

Irritated, Marluxia sighed. "I need to talk to you about something important. I need to…talk to you about Demyx."

Xigbar smirked. "Ah…I see…ok flower girl. Let's go to my office. And it better be good cause Luxord was coming by for lunch."

"Oh, well, pardon me for intruding on your lunch with your boyfriend." Marluxia smirked at Xigbar's aghast facial expression before heading to the back. "Yes, you didn't seriously think I didn't know you were flaming, did you?"

**:Line Break:**

Larxene held her head in anguish as she rifled through her belongings in search of a cigarette. She knew if she didn't leave soon that Axel would corner her and try his hardest to make her admit what she was up to in the first place. And she didn't quite feel like doing that. Across the floor lay her phone, scattered, in pieces from their earlier encounter; she appeared to not care as she found her cigarettes. She quickly lit one and shoved it into her mouth, inhaling the nicotine as if it were her lifesaver. She could feel the trembling all over her body and she did not venture to think that it was going to stop anytime soon. She figured, at the least, that her reaction was abnormal—Larxene wasn't afraid. She didn't become afraid either. She hadn't been for years. '_Who the fuck am I kidding_?' Letting the couple of tears, the few waiting to leak out, burn the corners of her eyelids she continued to smoke as though she'd never get enough of it. Downstairs she could hear Axel and Roxas and Namine, though they tried to be quiet and all she could think of doing was silencing them. She thought about gagging Namine, maybe cutting off some of Axel's hair and sticking it in his mouth, and probably locking Roxas in a room with an apple in his mouth. '_Or a dildo_,' she thought as she lit up another cigarette. Her mind was going rather slowly and she couldn't quite figure out was happening. She felt extremely mellow, maybe even relaxed—or drugged.

'_Oh the after effects of those damned, fucking ruffies.'_ She could no longer attest to not hating the drugs but she still felt angry that she'd been slipped one and couldn't fight off the effects. She was so angry she thought she might just stab herself as punishment but decided against it as she inhaled more of the deadly nicotine into her lungs. She knew she looked completely ridiculous in her long black coat, a knapsack at her side, inhaling a cigarette while her long strands of hair flitted with minds of their own. For all everyone else knew she could be dead but for some reason, she preferred it that way. She didn't want to be bothered by Axel's obnoxious ass, or Roxas' knowing looks that could see right through her. She didn't want to be bothered by Namine's pitiful help and pitying eyes, especially from a little sister. She felt sudden rage begin to course through her bloodstream. Now Larxene wanted nothing more than to hurt herself for being so weak, so vulnerable. She cursed as she remembered the brightly flashing words of the sinister text message before she'd broken her phone. The pieces, scattered across the floor, caught her eye and she cursed again. '_Fuck…guess that means I need another cell phone. Shit…_' Annoyed again, she tossed the cigarette to the floor before stamping it with vengeance. Finally ready, or what she thought was ready, she grabbed her bag and began to march down the stairs, fire in her eyes, if possible.

"Where are you going?"

Larxene paused, not really sure if she wanted to disclose this information to the red-head. She continued to stand there until he made another inquiry. Finally she decided that she'd answer him, more to shut him up than to really let him know. "None of your business, gay boy. What's it to you?"

He pulled out his lighter, flicking the flame in warning. "What are you afraid of telling me?"

"What part of 'none of your business' do you not understand?" Larxene's eyes narrowed. "I'm not explaining myself to you. You're not my parents, so just go fuck off."

Axel narrowed his eyes in response. "Look, I'm not an idiot. Where are you running to? Going after your step father by yourself is stupid, and you know it."

Her back to him, she rolled her eyes. "And you're going to help me?"

"What are friends for?"

She smirked as she heard Roxas' soft voice interject. The kid was always a sap. Larxene knew that Roxas, at least, kept his word. She knew that Axel did too, and that alone made her hesitant. '_No…this is my battle._' She refused to involve them. But an image of Namine stopped her midstep as she made to leave. The young girl was a bit of a soft spot for Larxene, and the older woman found herself even more hesitant than before. All the hesitation was beginning to make her angry. She hated hesitation more than anything else. Her contemplation was cut short when Axel tapped her shoulder. She whirled around, her eyes fiery and annoyed.

"Roxas is right. Don't be afraid to let us help," Axel reminded as he grabbed Roxas' hand to pull him away. "Come on, time to go."

Larxene said nothing as they disappeared into the darkness of the staircase. Namine seemed to have disappeared into nowhere as well as Larxene looked around. The silence enveloped her, seemingly deafening as she stood in the middle of the room not sure of what to do; it was becoming harder to make it through the door. She knew she had to. '_I have to. Go Larxene, goddammit Larxene, move your pathetic ass._' After five minutes of meaningless contemplation she'd made it out the door and was walking quietly down the darkened street towards Traverse Town. The bridge was in sight and though there were people giving her strange looks because of her heavy, long black coat she could care less. She knew she was going to get the stares, she did all the time and it was nothing new to her. She could feel her fingers just itching to bury their razor sharp nails into her stepfather's neck. Any thought of him made her so angry, so full of rage she could easily see herself murdering him or anyone else who interfered, for that matter. She was already on the bridge when the familiar sight of a long brown haired young man caught her eye. Suddenly extremely aggravated by his appearance, Larxene debated whether she should just act like she hadn't noticed him or be nosy, or bitchy—whichever seemed a more fun game to play. However, her mind didn't have time to process either choice when she noticed him staring at her, along with that fool of a man, Xigbar. '_Fuck…_'

The pirate looking man waved cheerfully, letting out a loud bellowed laugh. "Hi there Larxy!"

Marluxia looked away, his eyebrows knitted in annoyance as he felt his ribs begin to ache again. '_If she wants to fight me tonight, fuck, I'm going to beat her ass into the ground.'_ He gritted his teeth as Xigbar grabbed him and headed over towards the young blonde haired woman. Marluxia felt like he wanted to disappear, or melt into a puddle. Not because he was scared of the lunatic woman but because he was in no mood for games and sarcasm, not after what happened about an hour prior to her sudden arrival. '_What the fuck is she doing here anyway? She's fucking crazy._' He continued to say nothing as Xigbar began to rattle on to her about nonsense and such, as though Xigbar's life was entertaining. He chanced a glance at her only to find her staring at her nails, eyebrows raised and looking ready to kill. Not that he was concerned about the older man but Marluxia thought it was a good idea to go. Shrugging off Xigbar's loose grip Marluxia spun around and began walking away as though he was never there in the first place.

Larxene saw him retreat and just to be a bitch and pain in the ass, which she loved to do with him, she called out. "Oh, pervert, where are you going? It's rude not to say hello to people."

Marluxia felt his blood boil as a smirk made it's way onto his face as he turned around to face her. "Yes, how very rude of me Larxene." He mock bowed to her, his eyes narrowed and fake. "Hello. How are you this evening, MISS Larxene?"

She felt a faint blush spread across her face as she realized he was mocking her. Not willing to be the one at a loss she curtsied, her eyes also narrowed and showing fire. "I'm am quite fine, thank you, sir."

Xigbar suddenly felt alienated as he watched their interaction before suddenly bursting into amused laughter. They both gave him bewildered looks though in their own way. "Are you guys married or something?"

"You're such a fag." Marluxia said as he shook his head.

Larxene wasn't so nonchalant in her response. "What are you? A sorry excuse for a pirate wannabe?"

"As if," Xigbar yawned as he waved away both of their comments. "Anyway, it was great to see you, Larxy. And so soon." With that he turned and walked away, ignoring the death stares and glares he was getting from Larxene and Marluxia.

Once he'd vanished Larxene resumed her loathing stare at Marluxia as he sighed, his face unreadable. She decided to chance it anyway. Any kind of unusual reaction from him was something she welcomed with rabid fervor, a sick type of fervor, now that she really thought about it. "Hey, girly man, what are you doing here in Traverse Town?"

"None of your business crazy woman," he replied coolly. "And you…Larxy?"

Ignoring the pet name she smirked as she sauntered past him, one brow raised as she gave him an uncharacteristic sultry look from over her shoulder. "Well…wouldn't you like to know?" She continued walking before saying, very nonchalantly, "Follow me…and you might find out."

Marluxia was puzzled by this though it did not show. _'Do I want to know?' _He didn't want her to see how she got to him, how she got under his skin with a mere look and phrase. Her knives were one thing but her strange nature was another. Not sure why he decided on his course of action he began to step towards her direction. He hated following—he was a leader—but there was something different about following her, almost as if she commanded it, just like he did. He hadn't heard from Demyx though he was sure the musician had received his phone by now. Perhaps Larxene knew? He dared not to ask. He didn't feel like getting into any more arguments or blood battles, which, with Larxene, seemed the normal course of action. '_Or something like sick rules of engagement,_' he mused as he watched the sway of her hips through the black coat.

Larxene, though not normally one to feel self-conscious, was suddenly irked by the fact that she knew he was following her and that he had to be staring at her. At least once in a while. She didn't put it past him to stare in that way either—he was a guy, after all even if she suspected him of being completely flaming. Sighing inwardly she watched the street signs as she waited as patiently as possible for directions to the Third District to pop up, even if she didn't need them. She knew the streets all too well but she couldn't let Marluxia know that, not this soon. '_Why would you let him know anyway, you dumbass?'_ She berated herself for a moment as she realized the Third District was in sight. And by the looks of the four people standing in her way she figured it was going to be an annoying interlude. However, as both the young people drew closer to the group she recognized them immediately. Her guard was up within seconds as the young man with blonde hair stepped forward. She paused for a moment, glaring at him. "Outta my way dipshit."

"You've got a smart mouth for someone who hasn't showed her face here in ages."

She smirked again, waving away his tone as she pushed him back with the palm of her hand. "Seifer, fuck off, you little punk." She walked past him as he stumbled a little. Almost right away the young woman was there, her ruby eyes piercing Larxene as Seifer stood straight again. Larxene ignored her. "Tsk-tsk Fuujin. You know better than to mess with me." She kept walking until she was standing in front of the man Marluxia wanted to kill, the one who'd damaged his ribs. It appeared as though she knew all of them and Marluxia stayed silent for the show. "Oh, nice to see you too." The man with the long black hair, whose name was Xaldin, nodded. "Take me to him, you prick…or get the fuck outta my way."

"You have yet to wash out that corrupted, foul little mouth of yours Miss Larxene," Xaldin replied as his two understudies cowered away from the blonde haired woman.

"Yeah, ask me if I ever gave a fuck you asshole. I know he's expecting me so let's get this shit over with. I have better things to do." Xaldin stepped aside to allow her entrance. She began walking through when she realized Marluxia hadn't followed. "Hey, are you coming or not girly man?" Marluxia gave her a stony look, which she returned. "Just hurry up. I don't have all day."

"You are such a fine example of lady like qualities," Marluxia exclaimed venomously as he walked past her, appearing uninterested in her baiting him.

Larxene's eyebrows twitched as she watched him follow Xaldin. Annoyed, she flicked Fuujin on the forehead as she passed the young woman, not sure why his statement had bothered her so much. Instead of showing it to anyone else she continued on as if nothing had happened. The night air was musty and thick as Larxene followed Xaldin towards where she assumed her father was staying. However, she knew better than to think it was his permanent residence; he wasn't the head of an industry because he was an idiot. Behind her Marluxia was already bored as he followed unaware of where they were going. He didn't care too much with the exception of wanting to kill Xaldin and blonde whose name, he found out, was Seifer. To say he was surprised was an understatement—he was shocked—but he had yet to show it. Instead he sighed as though the entire interlude had been utterly boring and trivial. But somehow Larxene knew that was a lie, and a big one at that, as she watched Fuujin throw her passively angered looks for laying her hands on Fuu's precious Seifer. Larxene rolled her eyes. '_Her precious Seifer…Fuujin, grow up. He's never going to see how much you love him…pathetic girl_.' Part of her laughed at Fuujin while the other part of her just felt sad about it; it wasn't nice to laugh at someone else's misfortune, or so she'd heard. '_Oh yeah…Cora was a sorry excuse for advice.' _Pushing the memory of Cora out of her mind enabled Larxene to continue on though it wouldn't have bothered her otherwise.

Her mind was going one hundred miles a minute as she walked; she hadn't seen her step-father in years. She knew he was still around, just over the bridge to be exact, but she hadn't had to face him since she'd run away—since her parents had died. Curling her fingernails into her fist until she felt blood, Larxene felt as though she was trapped. '_But like fucking hell if I let him get the best of me, the bastard._' She was deep in thought but looked up when she heard Marluxia cough as though trying unintentionally to get her attention. She looked up and realized they were near his "base of operations" but they had stopped. Xaldin was giving her a curious look while Seifer and Fuu looked around, guns raised as though they were expecting company. Larxene tensed as she shot a quick glance to Marluxia; his fists were balled up, eyebrows narrowed and lips in a snarl. _'What the…? I've been…fooled?_'

"You will regret this," Marluxia snapped as Xaldin advanced on them. Larxene had yet to really break from her stupor and he wanted nothing more than to hit her over the head, preferably with something very hard. '_What the fuck is wrong with her?_' She seemed slightly paralyzed even as her fists curled and her kunai were drawn, all as if by instinct, which he supposed was the most plausible explanation for her actions. The look on her face was ridiculous—stupor and disbelief and pleasure all wrapped into one. It made him feel funny and tingly, terrible and exhilarated all at once. Shrugging the somewhat foreign feeling off he re-centered his focus on to where Larxene still appeared to be hesitating.

'_Why am I hesitating? Why didn't I realize this sooner? Idiot!_' She wanted nothing more than to hit her head on the pavement for the blatant stupidity of her actions. She knew she should've played it safer, knew she shouldn't have been so cocky but it was too late--this was her stepfather she was dealing with, and she'd been dumb about it. Xaldin had removed his coat and was handing it to Seifer while Fuujin removed her chopsticks from her hair, which Larxene only now noticed, were extremely sharp. '_Damn protective covers are so damn deceiving!_' She mused as the plastic coverings fell from the razor-blade chopsticks and Fuujin pointed them at Larxene. To her side Marluxia still seemed pretty tense, his eyebrows still knitted together and fists still clenched tightly before him. But he didn't seem afraid, which made Larxene do an inner double take. She figured he had no idea who her father really was; either that or Marluxia was tougher than he looked. Instead of dwelling on it she threw Xaldin a loathing look as she brought her kunai to eye level.

"You're going to take me to him or I will make you sorry," she said, her voice deadly quiet.

Fuujin's eye twitched with slight nervousness before her mask of indifference was back on her pretty face. Seifer looked more nervous than before even though his trademark smirk was on his lips. Xaldin looked calm but the slight arch of his eyebrow told Larxene he was debating. While they both, he and Larxene, knew she could not defeat him, Xaldin knew from experience how hard it was to fight her. And with Marluxia now in the mix it appeared as though the "The Dragon" was weighing his options. He could either seriously injure her—which she knew would cause him great trouble—or take her to her disgusting step-father. However, the decision was made for her when Xaldin took a step to the side, gesturing towards the door as though for her to enter. Nodding in annoyance, Larxene marched past him with Marluxia in tow. She was already in the doors without a care in the world when Xaldin leaned towards his two cohorts.

"Keep and eye on him you two. I'll watch out for the lighting bug. However, do not harm her. I repeat, do NOT harm her under ANY circumstances." He began following the two young adults into the building. Before stepping completely in, he threw them a warning look that made Fuu's skin crawl. "For if you do it's your heads."

Seifer gulped, though he hoped it was not visible as Fuujin followed wordlessly behind Xaldin. He could see Larxene walking ahead in confidence though he was unsure if she was faking it or not. Larxene didn't usually fake such things and she rarely ever had since he'd known about her from their boss. Xaldin was more of their supervisor than actual boss since Larxene's father held all the actual power. Nevertheless, he didn't want to compromise his job or position because falling from it meant he would be eaten alive by the scum of Traverse Town. One's position in the corporation was not to be taken lightly if one wanted to survive—or so he had learned. As it was he already had a lot to worry about with having to keep and eye on Fuu though she appeared to never need it. He has promised Fuu's mother, on her deathbed, that no harm would ever come to the young woman. That had been some years ago and he was not necessarily regretting his promise but more of rethinking it. Fuu didn't need the help; she was braver than him, and he hated that. '_If anyone ever knew…_' he'd never admit it but he was all talk half the time, and rarely ever any bite. But no one in Traverse Town knew that so it had never been a problem—until Larxene had come into the picture.

She, as the step-daughter of his boss, was a force to be reckoned with, not to mention that she reviled her step-father and anyone associated with him. Seifer never understood it and still didn't, but found it didn't bother him as much since he could pick on Namine, Larxene's younger sister who still lived with them. At the present moment he was surprised Larxene had shown her face along with the man they'd met earlier, the strange Marluxia. He gave it no more thought as he realized they were standing before his boss' chambers, Larxene slowly entering with Marluxia in tow. He watched as the door slammed behind them, Xaldin and Fuu re-positioning themselves outside as watchmen while Seifer stood in the middle. He was about to ask Xaldin what they were doing outside when the older man turned to look at him dead in the eye.

"Now is your chance to prove yourself to him Seifer. Do not disappoint him. Come Fuujin, we have other matters to attend to at the moment." Xaldin beckoned the young woman and before either she or Seifer could ask questions, Xaldin had disappeared around the corridor.

Seifer blinked. "What the…?"

"Must go." Fuujin broke him from her stupor. "But…"

"Then go. Why are you still here?"

She hesitated. "Seifer, not in trouble?"

He waved her away, slinging his gun over his other shoulder. "Get going Fuu. Now." She threw him another hesitative look before finally going. "Crap…" He muttered under his breath. Now all he could do was wait.

Inside the room Larxene was boiling with rage as she noticed the speaker box sitting on the pristine desk. Marluxia looked bored, still, and she fought the urge to punch him. She was livid. '_The bastard couldn't even show his face…mother fucker…_' She was angry beyond all reason as she watched Marluxia yawn in boredom for the third time. However, she listened intently to the voice blaring through the speaker with interest.

"Ah…I see you came after all. What a pleasant surprise young Larxene." The voice was smooth and rich with hidden sarcasm. "And I owe the pleasure to…?"

"You son of a bitch!" Larxene spat at the speaker. "You knew I was coming and you couldn't even show your disgusting face! I bet it's because you knew I'd planned on marring it you sick bastard!"

There was a soft chuckle as the voice continued on. "Why…Larxene, my dearest…it seems you are upset. Shall I come out after all?" She opened her mouth to respond but the speaker blared again as though he knew what she way about to say. "I do not like to disappoint you my dear, however, I am an important man with many important business appointments. Surely you could understand why I could not come to see you. Of course you understand? Perhaps we will have to…schedule another appointment. Until then, I suggest you bring Namine back to me or else your life will be rather…unpleasant. That is all. Seifer, if you please."

And with that Larxene no longer heard the voice but the distinctive click of a gun's safety being turned off. She whirled around to see Seifer pointing a machine gun at them sans Fuujin and Xaldin. Marluxia rolled his eyes in boredom—again—as he looked at anything but Seifer as though he wasn't there. Larxene was giving him the evil eye as she retrieved her kunai at lightening speed, throwing four of them before Seifer could react. The first set clogged the gun hole and ripped the sleeves from Seifer's coat. He blanched as she smirked; a small, sadistic chuckle making it's way from her throat. Seifer swallowed hard.

"Do you seriously think you can do anything without Xaldin and Fuu here to help you?" Seifer said nothing and Larxene let out a long, loud laugh as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You are pathetic Seifer, fucking pathetic! You are no match for me, and you never have been you sorry excuse for a bodyguard! My stepfather was an idiot to even try and use you for something other than food for the trash of this town!"

That seemed to shock Seifer into action enough that he dropped the plugged gun and whipped out a Beretta. Larxene seemed unfazed until he fired a shot, which skimmed Marluxia's hair. The brown haired youth's eyes narrowed to slits as he raised a hand to his hair. Seifer gulped slowly as Larxene lowered her knives, her eyes laughing even though she didn't know exactly what he would do; but she had an idea. Marluxia smirked. "That was a mistake, my friend."

There was no more than a few seconds between Seifer's blinking and Marluxia's run. Before he knew it Seifer found himself with his back against the floor, Marluxia's forearm against his adam's apple, which was beginning to throb painfully. "Look, you little bleached blonde shit, no one touches my fucking hair. And didn't I say I would fucking kill you? It was a promise and it seems like its time," came Marluxia's voice from beside Seifer's ear. The blonde trembled as he realized he couldn't see, that his eye was swollen. He hadn't registered Marluxia's punch let alone seen the man come for him. Feeling even more degraded than before—and Larxene's chuckles were not helping—Seifer settled for listening to the man pinning him to the ground. "I've decided that maybe I'll just beat you into submission or maybe just wipe the pavement with your ugly fucking face."

"Lay off it pretty boy. It's time to go." Marluxia gave her a death look, which she waved away before turning to leave. "While it'd be nice to see you beat him within an inch of his life, I really do have other matters to attend to, so if you don't mind. Either get up and follow or I'm fucking leaving you here. And believe me," she grinned manically. "You don't want to be left here."

Seifer almost thanked the gods that Larxene had spoken when she did—he was about to pass out from lack of breath. Marluxia on the other hand was furious as he pushed off the blonde who stifled his coughs and made no move to get up. "Other matters to attend to? Like what? Have I mentioned what a heinous bitch you are? First you drag me into your shit hole of affairs and then you don't even let me beat up this pathetic shit for what he did. I am going to murder you. It is very rude of you, if I may say."

"Whatever," Larxene replied. "Bite me you fag."

Seifer listened quietly until he heard their footsteps and arguing voices fade away into the distance before he attempted to get up. He glanced around relieved to find that neither Fuu nor Xaldin had returned; but he knew better than to think his boss was not watching. He'd failed and he knew it. '_God…what is going to happen to me?_' Picking up his jammed machine gun and useless Beretta, he started to make his way towards the ominous white door of the room ahead, his face mien displaying total dejection.

**:Line Break:**

Larxene let out an aggravated sigh as she sipped her jack and coke. To her left side Marluxia was arguing with Xigbar about his work hours, which she deemed completely stupid. She was tired and annoyed and she wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed for some sleep before she devised a "fool-proof" plan to kill her stepfather. However, Marluxia was putting a rather large dent into her plans when he dragged her to the café for some much needed money from his boss. He had agreed to return to Twilight Town under the conditions that she tell him about what was really going on with her situation. Of course she refused and had stabbed him to which he simply gave her a bruised right arm. From there they'd ended up back at the café and she was downing alcohol without ruffies, thankfully. She was staring at the picture of Xigbar, Demyx and Luxord when she heard footsteps coming her way. She gave both men a lazy glance as she watched Marluxia go to the cash register before ducking beneath it for a few moments. When he resurfaced he held a small box, which Xigbar took and disappeared with to the back of the café. While they waited Marluxia gazed out into the darkened streets as Larxene continued sipping her jack and coke in silence. She was not very interested in what Marluxia was thinking or what he had to say but she did want to leave. After about five minutes she glanced over to him with her eyebrows raised. "Um…what the hell are we waiting for?"

"We are waiting for something that I require…what more explanation do you need?" His air of arrogance had returned and Larxene quirked a brow at him in feigned wonder before taking another large sip of her double shot of jack and coke. Rolling his eyes Marluxia reached for the bottle of Crown Royal sitting by Xigbar's picture. He quickly opened it and took a large swig before setting it down, his expression blank as though he had drank juice. Larxene wanted to gag at his actions; she hated the liquor. And while she could down shots of Absinthe and Everclear, she refused to drink Johnny Walker or Crown Royal or any gross, low quality Tequila that Axel and Roxas tended to bring home. While she pondered his taste in liquor she disregarded the fact that she thought he was a gay, prissy boy who talked to flowers. Marluxia wanted to hit himself over the head for the fact that he chose the wrong liquor to down so fast. He didn't particularly favor Crown Royal but then again he didn't particularly favor alcohol. Demyx had said he seemed like the type but most people were pleasantly surprised to find he didn't like liquor. '_That stuff just makes you fucking stupid, and irrational like that crazy witch over there._' He looked menacingly at Larxene was still slowly sipping her drink without a care in the world—or so it seemed. Then again, he should know better. Xigbar was still rummaging around in the back, tinkering with the box, when Larxene looked up from her cup and threw Marluxia a dirty look.

"Come on, gay boy…what the hell is the hold up?"

Marluxia scowled at her. "Shut up, will you? You are so damn annoying. You're a crazy ass too, and I haven't really been as "courteous" as I usually can be so shut your trap."

Larxene rolled her eyes as she returned to drinking in hopes that by the time she finished her Jack and Coke they would be ready to leave. Marluxia ran a hand through his chestnut hair as Xigbar resurfaced, his pirate patch no longer covering his eyes and the box now open. "Hey, here it is. But be careful ok flower? This belongs to someone else and I don't wanna take the blame if you fuck everything up."

Curiosity got the best of her and she stood to peak over the edge. Inside there was a single key to which she made a distasteful face. "What the hell is that for?"

Marluxia pushed her out of the way and plucked the key from the box. "None of your damn business but I guess I can tell you since it involves you now, you crazy witch."

"Oh, how very fucking considerate of you, goddamn faggot." Larxene placed her now empty cup on the counter and waited for their departure. On the way across the bridge Marluxia pretended to ignore Larxene and everything around her for that matter. He didn't seem at all fazed when she promptly pelted him with a napkin she'd stolen from Xigbar's café. They were almost over the bridge when she stopped to look up at the moon for but a moment. When he realized she had stopped following him he turned back to her, wary but face completely nonchalant. She threw him a loathing look. "What?"

"Me? Just what are you doing, if I may be so bold to ask?"

She knew he was teasing her with all the proper language and polite talk, which made her want to dig her kunai into him even more. In fact, a moment later she had a kunai pointing at his neck though she was a fair distance away. "Listen gay boy, what I think, what I do, who I decided to kill is really none of your damn business. So quit asking me so many questions or I will seriously scalp you and feed you to the wild dogs of Traverse Town, got it?"

Marluxia sighed. "You know…this is really getting old. If you were so damn antsy to scalp me or do half the things you say you want to, you would have done them already." Without so much as even a look her way he resumed his steady pace over the bridge towards Demyx's house since Larxene's place seemed like an utterly bad idea.

Larxene seethed as she to resumed following him, her mind not dwelling too much on his current statement. Instead it wandered to the very idea of wrapping her hands around her stepfather's neck and wringing it until his eyeballs popped out of his head, oozing blood. She was so absorbed that she hadn't bothered to think about where they were going or where they had arrived until she found herself on Demyx's porch, the musician looking completely stunned to see her. '_Probably because I'm with flower boy right now.'_ Shrugging she plopped down on the chair nearest to the edge of the dilapidated porch and polished her kunai; she was glad she didn't have to feign disinterest. Marluxia had all but pushed Demyx inside and closed the door as much as possible but Larxene could still hear their voices drifting out through the crack. She ignored them as she leaned back and continued to watch the moon, her plan suddenly taking a magnificent formation in her mind. She smiled.

**:Line Break:**

There was complete silence on their floor unless one counted the consistent beeps of machines monitoring people's lives. Yuffie sighed as she took another sip of coffee, her eyes burning as she looked through file after file of Tifa's patients. As for Tifa, she was off doing investigation necessities with Cloud and Sephiroth. Aerith had opted to fix things up at the office and Chief Payne was more than ready to grill Cloud's incompetent ass into the ground. She let out another sigh when she saw one of her patients ambling out of his room. Annoyed because of exhaustion she buzzed the nearest nurse and told her to get to work. Of course Yuffie was nicer than this and smiled when the nurse came running around the corner. It's not that she didn't like her job but Yuffie was sure that being the nighttime shift supervisor was much better than being a daytime one.

Not that it was her choice either as Tifa had requested her, specifically. But with all the recent issues arising from the Isuki case she figured it'd be a cold day in hell before she got a decent night's sleep. She had been to the dojo in ages, and her instructor hadn't bothered to call. '_I wonder if Squall even cares that I haven't been coming…_' According to Yuna, her other partner who went there, he hadn't been there for about a month now. Apparently he'd been busy working at his actual job. Some scandal that he said was in dire need of a remedy. Yuffie couldn't believe how long it had been since she'd practiced. Tifa and Cloud had been buried under paperwork and technicalities with Sephiroth about how to get Namine to talk, or even how to get to Namine in the first place for that matter. This sister, the older one, seemed to have a fortress built around the young girl. Axel and Roxas hadn't kept in touch and Cloud had taken forever on locating the girl's address.

On top of all that pulling the records from the Traverse Town hospital had been a feat and Yuffie hadn't come up with anything yet. It was like pulling teeth. Traverse Town County Hospital had been adamant about her coming in and taking records without good reason. She had kindly informed them that if they didn't hand them over willingly then she'd be glad to get them all subpoenaed, which they hadn't liked very much—but it's what ended up happening. So of course they took their sweet ass time doing it and Tifa AND Sephiroth had chewed out Yuffie for not finding any evidence yet. As for Sumitse, she was sure he was working hard to cover his ass, or just sitting on it quite comfortably as she found rich men tended to do. Snorting she took another large sip of her coffee, which reminded her more of sludge than the rich coffee beans of Columbia, and began pouring over more of the records of Traverse Town County. She was down to the last pile of patients—about 3 left—when she spotted a file that she knew would help.

It read, in bolded but faded black letters, ISUKI, LARXENE. Snatching it from the pile she flung it open and began reading. Apparently Larxene, the older sister of Namine, had been taken in regularly for various issues. She'd been in the counseling wing, the birth control center, the urgent care unit and many others. '_Weird…_' The Larxene she'd spoken to on the phone seemed slightly bitchy but relatively sane. Curious, Yuffie flipped the pages until she found pictures for the reason of this bizarre hospital visits. It hadn't seemed too out of the ordinary until she saw the bruises and the stitches and the knives. It was almost like looking at a police report except it was in medical form and ten times as gross as accident evidence. As she looked on she noticed there had been a rape kit done several times but the kits were incomplete and had phony signatures on them, or what appeared to be the like. It's not that Yuffie worked closely with the doctors or staff at Traverse Town County but they did attend all the medical seminars together and the like. It seemed strange and not plausible that she would not recognize the signatures. Then again, she and Larxene were about the same age, maybe Larxene being a few years older. However, if she took them to Tifa and Tifa didn't recognize them then she'd definitely have reason to question it all. '_Interesting…I guess I will just have to talk to her about this in a few hours._' Her mind was on autopilot when he pager buzzed. '_Tifa…shit._'

Grabbing her things she waited till the nurse came and took over. She had to rush to get to the police station before Tifa murdered Cloud six different ways. Freaked, Yuffie flew through the door and almost ran straight into Tifa. '_Wait a minute…what the…?_'She did a double take as she whirled around to see Tifa and Cloud walking into the hospital as if they hadn't seen her. Furious she started back to give them a piece of her mind when Tifa turned around and smiled. Yuffie blanched. "Uh…"

"Hey, did you get my message?"

Yuffie nodded. "Yeah, but what are you doing here?"

"Come on, Cloud and I have to fill you in."

**:Line Break:**

Sora sat dejectedly on the couch and flipped through the channels in boredom. Leon wasn't home yet. Sora had pondered whether he should invite Kairi and Riku over for some company, even a movie or two. But in the end he stayed by himself on the couch wondering when Leon would arrive to scold him about nonsense. His homework was done and it was a Friday night, a night when people should be partying with their friends and all that good stuff. However, Sora had a long day at work and all he wanted to do was sleep his Friday night away. He doubted anyone wanted to hang out at a house that rarely had food, no real heater and a piece of crap cable box. As it was Sora was cuddled under a heavy down blanket and staring at the fuzzy picture blaring on the old television screen. Sure, Sora wasn't completely bitter because unlike some people he had a place to live, some food to eat and a place to sleep. It wasn't the best but he felt like he couldn't complain. He and Leon had to make ends meet and he thanked the school financial office that they had deemed his grades good enough for scholarships and such. Otherwise he might not even graduate high school. Of course as a result college would be a complete bust and Leon would murder him. '_Not that I see much of the bastard anyway…_'

Sighing, Sora finally flipped the television off and gave the door a curious look when he heard a knock. Stunned, he made his way over to the door and peeked through the hole in genuine shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to stay here for a day or two, ok?"

The brunette haired boy could only nod in shock as Marluxia walked past him, Larxene in tow. She gave Sora a small punch on the head in greeting before closing the door and following Marluxia to the kitchen. To say that he was shocked was an understatement as Sora watched Marluxia take a seat at the dining table with a strange, rusted looking key in his hand. Larxene was leaning against the counter when Sora finally came to his senses.

"Hey, seriously…what are you doing here? If my brother gets here and you're here…he's probably going to—shit." At a loss for words Sora plopped on the chair across from him. "What's your deal? You totally freaked the last time we met."

Annoyed, Marluxia wanted to ignore him but when he looked up and looked at Sora he felt his eyes prickle. "Listen, Kid…"

"The name is Sora. I remember yours…Marluxia. Just what the hell are you doing in my house, of all fucking places? I don't need more drama in my life so start explaining or I'll kick you out." Sora's eyes hardened.

Larxene chuckled. "Aww…why Sora, you're all grown up now, aren't you?" Generally cheerful, Sora shrugged, her biting words sliding off him like water on grease. "He's got a point flower boy, so start spilling."

Sora gazed at the man before him. "Yeah, otherwise…"

Marluxia opened his mouth to speak when the front door slammed again. Sora jumped, Larxene swore and Marluxia blinked. Heavy footsteps could be heard walking towards them and Sora's eyes widened in panic. "SORA, I'M HOME!"

"Shit…"

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

(YAY! AT LASTTTT! So there was a little more about Larxene and her past, and this chapter did focus on Mar/Larx more than the others! I'm sorry of Mar is outta chara, but he IS kinda hard to write since not THAT much of his personality is fleshed out in the manga and Chain of Memories. I'm working with limited stuff here, but hey, I'm doing my research! A VERY special thanks to all who R & R'd and who are still reading…you guys rock my world and I love you! Bye for now, all!)

_Sadistickunais_

Bottom of Form


	11. Isolation

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, don't you think? _

**A/N: Chapter 11 is here after a way too long…or something like that! The rules have not changed. The boy/boy love shall continue (sorry all—it's STILL not the main pairing) as will the Mature themes (I.E. that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people, etc…) and that means this story is not for young ones! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. The content hasn't changed either. It may seem overly harsh and if it is, well, why the hell are you still reading? I apologize for it taking so long. Life just happens. **

**Word coding:** '_Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff, _Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

**ISOLATION**

Sora ignored Marluxia's grunts and protests as the small brunette shoved both Marluxia and Larxene into his closet and gave them a dirty look. Larxene simply rolled her eyes and stared at her kunai in feigned wonder while Marluxia tried not to press up against her; he liked having body parts. Meanwhile, Sora had perched himself on the couch right as Leon walked in looking tired and resolute. Sora waved, his demeanor nonchalant, before standing and stretching. Leon watched him as Sora began to make his way towards his bedroom.

"Hey."

"Hey," Sora replied with boredom in his voice. "I'm going to bed."

"Did you already eat?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, there's pizza in the oven. See ya tomorrow."

"Wait," Leon called out as he set his bags on the floor. The young brunette paused by the hallway entrance, his eyebrows raised in wait. "Was there anyone here just now? I thought I heard voices."

"Nope, just me, myself and I as usual. Well, plus the television." When Leon said nothing more Sora saluted him in a mocking manner. "Goodnight, sir. I will report at 0700 tomorrow morning."

Leon ignored Sora's sarcasm as he heard the teen's bedroom door slam. Sighing, Leon fell back against the cheap couch cushions, his head hurting and back aching. It was another boring day at work, as was usual for him. He hadn't been to the dojo in ages and he wondered if his students even cared about going anymore. He hadn't exactly asked Cloud to fill in for him and he had heard—interestingly enough—about Cloud's new assignment. He hadn't been out in a long time; he wanted to go out and have some downtime. He desperately needed to unwind and he would have gladly liked Cloud, Yuffie and Yuna to accompany him. '_Yes…but I haven't talked to them in weeks now...'_ he mused as he listened to Sora rummage around in his room, trying to be inconspicuous but not succeeding, not by a long shot. He was tired and wanted nothing more, now, than to go to sleep. He was just about to lean over when his phone buzzed. He took a quick look at the caller ID, made a sour face before he flipped it open.

"Hello Mom."

"Hi honey. How is he doing? Is he asleep yet? How have his grades been this semester?"

Leon soured even more. "Yes. He just went to bed. His grades are stellar, as usual. All A's and B's. When are you and dad coming home?"

The voice on the other end was cheery and light, but Leon sensed fakeness leaking through. "I'm not sure. We'll be home for whatever holiday is next. Did you two need anything? I hope you realize that I will send you whatever I can. Sora's tuition will not be cheap. Oh Leon, saving for his college is killing your father and I. Has he been behaving?"

"No mother, we're great, thanks. He's been wonderful. But you…I really have to go. Work." His teeth felt like they were going to break as he ground the words out.

"Oh, alright then. Send our love. Goodnight."

"Goodnight mother," he replied quietly. The beep at the other end signaled the end of her call and Leon threw the phone at the wall. It cracked into many pieces and he cursed his bad luck. "Shit…now I'm going to need to buy a new one. Fuck…" He sunk into the couch cushions, annoyed at how uncomfortable they were. He was trying his best to provide a better life for Sora but they just didn't have the money. '_Correction…our dad is a jackass and is hording all the money. And mom puts in money when she can…but who are we kidding. Unless Sora gets straight A's and a scholarship…he isn't going to college_.' Leon felt awful lying to Sora about why they lived the way they did. But he couldn't tell his brother, his LITTLE brother, the truth. Sora was no idiot but he still didn't want Sora to worry about anything. So he lied to him, every day. He told him their father and mother loved him; but that they were having financial problems. He hoped that, even now, Sora hadn't figured it out but he had the distinct feeling that his brother knew everything. He was just drifting into sleep when he heard sniffling from the hallway. '_I think by now…I've damned us both._'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sora let out a small sniffle as he turned back to the closet. He knew Leon had been lying, for years. Suppressing the tears, Sora reached for the closet doorknob. 'Now isn't the time for my problems.' He sniffled again. "You guys can come out now but you have to be quiet or else my brother will come in here, got it?"

Larxene huffed as she shoved Marluxia out of the closet where he'd been pressed against her so tight she thought she'd suffocate. Luckily for him he managed to stumble out, thanks to her powerful shove, but still land quietly and gracefully on his feet. Sighing in relief at the lack of noise Sora motioned for them to sit on his bed while he perched himself at his desk, which lacked a computer or any décor aside from a pencil, a pen and a desk lamp. Marluxia immediately noted the lack of décor and raised a brow to which Sora gave him an angry stare. Unfazed by the whole silent interlude, Larxene leaned against Sora's lone pillow and began polishing her knives again as if there was no one else in the room. When nothing was said Sora finally let out an elongated sigh.

"Hey, are you gonna spill or what man?" He blinked expectantly as Marluxia.

"Listen, Sora…" Marluxia trailed off when he realized Larxene had paused and was staring at him too. He threw her a death glare. "Would you care not to listen Miss Larxene?"

"The hell I won't," she snapped. "If he's gonna know then I deserve to know."

"What's going on you two?" The younger brunette seemed frustrated by their conversation, which hadn't even started. "Look, I have school tomorrow and unless you're gonna spill about all this, then I am just gonna go to bed and stick both of you back in the closet."

Larxene jumped at this, her knife pressed firmly against Marluxia's neck. He didn't seem fazed by this as he nodded calmly at Sora's comment. "Spill pretty boy or I will."

"If you would be so kind to remove your temperamental blade Miss Larxene," he whispered. "Then I would be more than happy to oblige you." She slowly removed the knife from his throat and settled back against the pillow as Marluxia cleared his throat. "Where would you like me to start?" His posture changed suddenly and his shoulders sagged ever so slightly in the dim lighting of the room. Larxene did a double-take. "I suppose…you'll want to hear why I looked at you that way the day we met?" Sora nodded and Larxene smirked. "You…reminded me of him. You look like what he would look like if he were here today…if he were around. When I say that…" He trailed off again and both Sora and Larxene stared at him intently. "I do not wish to further discuss said matter. However, I will tell you the reason why I have come here and not gone anywhere else. There is…something of a secret being hidden in a place that I do not have access to at the moment. I heard that your brother has the access I need, that we need."

"What place could my brother possibly have access to that could help you?" Sora's inquiry made Larxene tense and she suddenly looked off to the side, which caused Sora to narrow his eyes. "Hey, what the hell is going on here Larxene? What are YOU even doing here, and with HIM? I thought you hated him?"

"I do," she snapped to which Marluxia growled uncharacteristically but Larxene didn't appear phased. "Look…whatever he is trying to access…I need too. And I know, for a damn fact, that Leon has access to the place and the information."

"Which is…?" Sora ventured and Larxene sighed, her eyebrows knitting together. "Wait…does this have anything to do with Namine and the whole…incident?"

"I need your brother's pass code to his computer and his ID card to KH International offices. And I know you know where they are Leonhart…so retrieve them or I will get them myself." She raised her knives to glint in the dim lighting. "And I'll use whatever force necessary."

Sora blanched and Marluxia sighed at how tactful Larxene was in that moment. He didn't doubt that she was intelligent but right now she wasn't scoring any points with him. And Sora looked like he was about to have an aneurism. She doubted it was a serious issue but she decided that they were past parading around the issue like Marluxia seemed to think. Instead of being phased by the many irritated looks the brunette was throwing in her direction she charged right past him and cornered Sora against his desk. The younger brunette gulped in genuine shock and nervousness as Larxene's antennae twitched madly, her ice blue eyes boring into his and her lips set in a smirk he'd never seen before. It looked vaguely like a snarl, or like something resembling a feral grin. He heard the clank of her knives against his metal desk and felt sweat bead at his forehead in anxiety about his brother hearing them. For his part, Marluxia was staring at his nails like a disinterested girlfriend, rolling his eyes as Larxene's smirk grew in diameter.

"Hehe…" Her chuckle sounded menacing and she couldn't help but let it out. "Sora, you know how much I would hate to take your precious life away from Namine…you two being friends and all…and poor Kairi…so how about you help us? I will take your help by force or I will just cut you—"

"That's enough."

Larxene growled as she felt Marluxia's glare on her back. Narrowing her eyes she raised her brows. "What did you say?"

"I said that's enough. You're acting like a child you crazy witch. Do you really think we are going to get his help with you threatening him like this?" Marluxia stood and grabbed her wrist. She whirled around to face him, her knives headed for his throat; but Marluxia had had quite enough practice and encounters to know what she was going to do. He deftly grabbed her hand as it came towards him and glared at her. "Listen, maybe you should have just asked him. What's your problem? Do you always resort to violence when someone doesn't do what you want? If you get him in trouble he won't be able to help us at all."

Larxene's eyes twitched as she felt her anger building. '_Who the hell does he think he is?_' She smirked at him though she knew it appeared bitter. "It's a dog-eat dog-world out there. Don't tell me you don't agree girly man?"

"I do, but sometimes you can't always do that. That's not the way the whole world works, let alone people you call your friends." Marluxia's gaze softened as her eyes drifted to the side. He turned to Sora. "Listen Sora, we are going to need those codes soon so if you can get them, it would be greatly appreciated."

The young boy nodded and he pointed towards his bed. "It's not much…but one of you can use it tonight. I can sleep on the couch or the floor. And I'll work on the access codes." He glanced from Marluxia to Larxene and noticed how the blonde had pulled into herself again. While he was used to her mood swings from word of mouth—mainly Roxas and Namine—he had yet to actually experience anything like it. Feeling like an intruder he began to back away. "Um…I'm gonna go to the kitchen to get a drink. You guys want anything?"

"Water would be great, thanks," Marluxia replied tiredly, Larxene's wrists still in his grip though she'd become increasingly quiet and withdrawn. He sighed as Sora closed the door behind him before refocusing his attention on the blonde haired nymph before him. She was oddly quiet and still, which worried him more than her attacking him. "Hey, witch…what's wrong?"

"Stop it."

He felt his eyes widen at how quiet her voice was and how her wrists suddenly began to tremble. "What?"

"You don't understand anything. You don't know anything about me, or what's happened in this place; therefore you don't understand why I do what I do. And I have the right mind to stab you and rip you into a millions pieces right now flower boy." Larxene looked up at him, her eyes glistening but narrowed in anger at the man before her. "You think you can come in here and fix everything? You're a fool. After tonight you're damn near lucky you're alive."

He sighed again. "What's with you? If you keep saying I don't understand then why don't you explain? I'm more than willing to listen because somehow I get this strange feeling this isn't quite as insignificant an issue as you're all making it sound." He released her wrists and watched with no surprise as she went to the bed and curled into herself at its corner. He joined her though he sat a few feet away. "I have things in my life that I don't share and don't intend to—especially not with the likes of someone like you. But that doesn't take away from the issue of your sister and what's been going on, the weird things in this town. And tonight, what was that all about? How about you start telling me some things?"

She chuckled bitterly. "Why? You're no friend. Why should I trust you?"

"You don't have to," he responded tiredly. "But you owe it to your sister, and yourself, to fix some things. Why not take help where you can get it? It's not everyday you meet someone who is willing to risk his or her own life to help you take down a billion dollar industry or tycoon, is it?"

While Larxene had to admit that was very true she'd rather die before she let him know they were in agreement. Sighing, she leaned her head against the cool wall as she awaited Sora's return for a much needed glass of water. She felt like she was going to need it if she explained what she deemed as pointless to the situation. "It started more than a few years ago…when Namine and I…when our parents were alive." Marluxia stared at her intently and she snickered. "Yes, they're dead, though I'm sure Axel and Roxas did NOT neglect to tell you…oh, poor me, right?" When he said nothing she continued, her eyes glazing over as she was lost in her memories. "I was about fifteen then…my parents had struggled for years to rise above the income level we were at…not poor, but not, by any means, rich or wealthy. There was a change in our situation…and I have only one man to "thank" for all his generosity." At this her voice turned bitter. That evening…everything was going to change…"

Marluxia took notice of how much her demeanor had changed and in preparation for her speech he leaned back in the chair at Sora's desk. The boy had yet to return and he had the feeling that the talk of water was all a ploy to avoid being in the room with Larxene. And for some strange reason as Marluxia looked at her he understood why the boy felt that way. She felt tears burning at her eyelids again and she fought hard to keep them at bay though she'd completely forgotten where she was and who she was with in Sora's room as the memories overwhelmed her.

_Cora and Phillip were engaged in a seemingly heated discussion about the cook when Larxene finally slipped off into her bedroom. Namine had excused herself much earlier on during their dinner and Larxene was simply glad she'd managed to slip off in time to avoid her mother, father and Mr. Sumitse. Once in the comfort of her own room she began to undress for the evening, going about her nightly routine as she always did. But something in the pit of her stomach didn't feel right and she suddenly felt a swell of butterflies knotting there. She heard a terrible ruckus outside and then the sudden slamming of a door, which caused her to look out her window in curiosity. She was sure Namine was doing the same and her eyes widened in wonder as she saw Mr. Sumitse leave; shortly after Cora and Phillip pulled out in their town car, minus their customary chauffeur. Curiosity got the best of her and she journeyed downstairs towards the kitchen where she saw Luxord, their longtime cook, packing his cooking utensils. _

"_Luxord, where are you going?"_

_The man looked up at her, green eyes tired as he hurried. "Excuse me young miss, but the lady of the house, Mrs. Cora, has fired me."_

_Outraged, Larxene could only stare. "…what?"_

_He sighed. "My time is up; I apologize young Miss Larxene. Please, apologize to young Miss Namine for me as well."_

"_But Luxord, father loves your roasted Quail! He would never fire you!" Her protests seemed to fall on deaf ears as he kept packing. "Wait, Luxord, you can't leave!"_

"_But I must," he replied solemnly. "I must leave in ten minutes according to your mother."_

"_Fuck my mother!" This language appeared to have no affect on the cook and Larxene figured it was because he was self-absorbed at that moment. "Luxord, wait! My mother and father just left! You can stay a little longer, can't you? At least until I can help clear this up?"_

_He gave her a smile as he reached into his bag before tossing her a card, the front which was embossed with his name and the other side embossed as well, except there was a large Ace on it, much like the Ace of spades in a card deck. "Listen Miss Larxene, should your father ever wish for me to return, or should you ever need anything, please, feel free to contact me. I bid you goodnight young Misses."_

_Larxene could only watch in anger and sadness as Luxord exited the large wooden doors, his head not even visible for more than a second through the clear glass windows. She was about to rush after him when she heard footsteps. She whirled around to see Namine halfway down the staircase. The young blonde haired girl was giving her a questioning look though she seemed overly drowsy and Larxene gave her a look-over. "Larxene, what was all that commotion? Where is Luxord? Has he retired for the night?" The young girl yawned. _

"_More like forever," she spat as she stood glued to her spot. "Namine…it's bedtime. We have school early tomorrow. I'll be up in a minute ok? I'm just going to go call mom and dad, all right?" Namine nodded her consent and seconds later she had disappeared into her room, the click signaling she was safe. Sighing, Larxene racked her brain for a reason as to why Cora would have fired their cook of 5 years. It seemed odd. She reached for the house phone, holding it in her hand for mere moments when she heard the door in the front room open. Thinking it was her parents she rushed out to give her mother a piece of her mind but was horrified to Mr. Sumitse standing there, his eyes staring straight at her. Nervous, she backed away with the full awareness of her state of dress. He seemed to notice it as well as his eyes swept over her body, his gaze lingering far longer than she liked. Gathering her confidence and her best nonchalant but polite face she addressed him. _

"_Good evening again Mr. Sumitse. What brings your return to the Isuki household? Did you forget your coat?" She knew this was a stupid question in itself because he was definitely wearing his coat; but she refused to let him see her uncertainty. "Can I help you with something?"_

_His eyes were unreadable as he approached her. "Hm…yes, indeed—perhaps you can, Miss Larxene. You see…I returned to have a "chat" with your mother. Is she still awake?"_

"_My mother has stepped out for a moment. But if you'd like, I can call our cook, Mr. Luxord and he can assist you out. It's very late and we should be getting ready for bed. I have school tomorrow. Surely you understand Mr. Sumitse?" Larxene stared back at him though he had continued approaching her until he was right before her. When he made no move to take her offer, she narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Sumitse, I must insist that you leave or I will have to call Mr. Luxord here to escort you out. Our mother is not here. There is nothing further I can do for you."_

"_Oh, but I think there is. And as for your Mr. Luxord…" Mr. Sumitse let out a chuckle. "I don't think he'll be assisting you. He is gone and won't be coming back."_

_Larxene shivered. "I don't…understand. What do you want? My mother isn't here!" She whispered harshly so as to not awaken Namine. She didn't know how much time had passed but the way he was leering at her caused her to lash out. She quickly threw the phone at him and made a mad dash for the living room area where the TV was still blaring the evening news. She paid little attention to it as she grabbed for the other cordless located there. She was fumbling with it as she heard his footsteps approaching slowly but firmly, determined—and she freaked and dropped the phone. Scrambling for it, she was punching in the numbers 911 when she noticed him standing by the TV, watching it intently. She lifted her gaze and tuned in, finally, to what was actually being said, and her face faltered. "Mother…father…" the picture before her showed a clear view of a white towns car crashed into the rocks below, smashed beyond repair. The people inside had been declared dead on sight though no names had been released. Dropping the phone, Larxene fell to her knees as tears welled up in her eyes. "No…no…this isn't happening…"_

"_Ah…but it is, Miss Larxene." Her blood ran cold at his tremulous, slightly exhilarated tone. She glanced up at him and found his golden eyes gazing back at her, still unreadable. She was so numb at the revelation that she didn't have time to react as he stooped down to her, his strong hand grabbing her chin and holding it still. Her blue eyes held fire and hatred as they looked at each other and he simply chuckled. She felt sick as he continued and she began to struggle; he squashed her effort quickly, his hands landing on her wrists and binding them behind her back as he flipped her squirming form around until her back was flush against his chest. "Your mother never understood your intelligence, and your father never appreciated your devotion. And it's a shame all those stupid, childish boys do not see the beauty I see in you Larxene."_

_She shivered in fear and disgust as she felt one of his hands slide down her side until it rested on her thigh. "But I see it Larxene. And I intend to have it all. With your mother and father gone…you are truly mine."_

"_I will report you, you sick son of a bitch. I will take Namine and me so far from here—"_

_She was cutoff mid-sentence by the low, seductive chuckle in her ear. "I suppose I should have told you sooner…" she felt sick when his tongue snaked out and licked her earlobe. "Cora signed all her assets and possessions over to me a month ago. So you see…all guardianship rights belong to me. You and Namine are mine, though I care not for that fragile creature. You are mine, Larxene." _

_Larxene could not believe what she was hearing. 'Cora…that stupid bitch! Selfish whore!' Her mind was screaming, hating her mother even in her death and not believing it at the same time. Tears began to fall from her icy blue eyes as she gathered all her strength and began struggling madly against his grip. She was about to scream when the hand that rested on her thigh quickly silenced her. She fought violently but he was far too strong for her and she felt herself growing tired, not sure how much time had passed and how long he'd held her in his vice-like grip. Just when she thought she was finished he let her go and she stumbled forward on the carpet. "Go Larxene, Run. I do so enjoy a chase."_

_Even in her weakened state she glared at him. "I'm going to get Namine! Stay away from me you bastard! I already dialed 911!"_

"_Namine is sleeping soundly. She will not hear you or anything else for that matter. She was, after all, quite tired, was she not?" _

_Larxene's eyes widened. "You…you drugged her?!"_

"_I simply helped her sleep," was his reply. _

Marluxia watched with renewed interest a Larxene's sentence trailed off and she was quiet once again. When she didn't say anything more he reached out to touch her; she twitched and dove for him, her knives drawn again. He reacted quickly, deftly grabbing her flailing arms and intercepting her as she drove her knives towards his neck. She let out a small cry when she came to, realizing where she was and who she was with in the small room. She stuttered, uncharacteristically, and Marluxia gave her a bored, blank stare.

"Hey…are you feeling better?" He was still holding her wrists.

She looked frightened and angry all together. "What…what the hell are you talking about?"

He sighed. "You never got past the part where this Mr. Sumitse character came over for dinner and how he gave you the creeps. I'm assuming he is the man we met tonight?" When she nodded he pressed further. "And he is the man who is responsible for…everything, I take it?"

She nodded again though this time she put her head down, her eyes burning though she wouldn't let him see. "So now you know…enough…to know why things are so tense, why I hate him so much…"

"He can only hurt Namine if you let him," he whispered quietly to her though he wasn't sure she heard. "Listen, I don't think Sora's coming back with that water. You can have the bed. I think I need to go out and take care of some stuff with Demyx."

Defiantly, she stood and grabbed his arm, which caused him to raise a brow at her even though he remained more docile than she ever could. "I'm coming with you."

"Why?"

She paused, not sure why she was so determined to follow him to Demyx's. It seemed like it was a personal issue between the two but at the moment, Larxene wasn't sure she wanted to be in Sora's house, especially with Leon in the next room. "It doesn't matter. I'm coming with you, and that's final."

He shrugged and began towards Sora's window to climb out, his efforts strained to stay as silent as possible. "Suit yourself. I'm not sure what you're going to get out of this, but if you must, then I won't stop you."

Her eyes glanced at him as he worked and her fingers twiddled nervously as long as he couldn't see—she was still uncomfortable and uncertain. Marluxia rolled his eyes as he watched her head towards the window, her expression solemn as she seemed to observe it. He wanted to ask what she was doing but she suddenly jumped up on the sill and was outside not a moment later. He followed suit and was surprised to find that she was almost out of the thin alleyway that separated Sora's house from all the other project looking housing that lined the block. He quickly swept past her only to feel her slender hand catch his arm. He turned to face her and Larxene smirked as she shook her finger at him.

"What?"

"You can't go to Demyx's house without a bribe. We should stop by the local candy store first." She began walking in the direction of sweet smelling aromas.

He gave her a curious stare as he walked behind her. He'd known Demyx for years and had never once needed a bribe, but maybe, just maybe, he thought, he didn't know him so well anymore. Sighing, he caught up with her in hopes to better understand her approach towards his spineless friend even though Demyx seemed to have suddenly grown a spine at their last encounter. Once they'd picked up the candy they began walking over the bridge of Traverse Town towards the familiar, well lit, warm and welcoming streets of Twilight Town. People were still out as it was relatively light outside still. The street lamps had just been turned on and both Marluxia and Larxene could see couples strolling about engrossed in romantic activities. He scowled. Larxene looked down. It had never been something she was particularly fond of, and Marluxia had been al but interested in flighty, airhead girls. They were mere feet away from Demyx's house when they spotted him perched on his porch with some Twinkies. Zexion was by his side, silent and solitary as he peered at them from behind his lavender locks with nonchalance.

Marluxia didn't beat around the bush as Demyx lead them inside his quaint house without as much as a hello. He knew what his friend was there for; no questions were necessary. "I'm not going to tell you."

"Demyx, I know that you were associated with him. Xigbar told me as much," Marluxia pressed. Larxene looked murderous in the corner. "I need you to tell me everything you know."

The young musician cowered. "Mar…I can't…"

Graceful as his name and trademark, Marluxia had his friend against a wall, the rusted key digging into his neck. "Demyx…"

"Ok…but I warned you." He settled down against the chase as Marluxia fell back into his own chair while Larxene stood behind it, arms crossed over her bosom. "When…we were young, my dad…he used to work for a very powerful man…a man in the…pharmaceutical industry." He could see Larxene bristle and Marluxia's face turning ashen. "He was testing a new drug on children so…he threw me to the dogs. He had me make friends so he could test them, this man, this…friend of my father's. But when things got bad…my father was killed. Mar…you dad, Lionel…was paid a large sum of money to bring you back…to him. They made me be your friends but it didn't go to plan. We really became friends…it was me…my fault. They found my letters…the ones I sent you, the money I sent for you, Jacob, and Delaney. He found you…because I asked Delaney for your address…I'm so sorry Mar…"

Marluxia's knuckles were white as e gripped the armrests. Larxene raised her eyebrows as he kunai slipped from between her fingers. "You…but…Jacob is dead."

"No, I loved Jacob like a little brother! Mar, please, I—"

"Shut up." His voice was like a thousand steel hooks that stabbed Demyx in the heart. Without another word he snatched the key and was out the door. "Larxene."

She nodded silently, disappearing into the orange hued sky as Demyx's cries drifted after them. There was a strained, tense silence that settled over them, thick and hot but cold and weary. They were headed nowhere and Larxene wondered where the flower boy was going. He seemed so out of it. Larxene had to wonder. It made her antsy.

"Hey, flower boy." No answer. "Hello?"

He spun around to face her, eyes ablaze. She actually did a double take as his burning sapphire eyes pinned her to her spot. "W-H-A-T?" When she didn't answer—too stunned, it seemed—he whirled back around, muttering obscenities under his breath. "What is it witch?"

"Stop calling me that! Why did you ask me to follow you?"

He sighed. "I don't know." He really didn't. "I just don't."

She scowled as his demeanor turned slightly crest-fallen. She couldn't deal with sadness. It wasn't her area. "Follow me girly man." She began to pull him.

"Where are we going?" He questioned.

She didn't answer but took him to the only place she knew made her feel better. 'Sunset Hill.' The sun was setting, the sky illuminated with all the colors of the rainbow, the view breathtaking. Larxene stopped just behind the brick wall to gaze, her soul feeling light. It was the one place she could let go of the façade—some of it anyway. Marluxia let out a small gasp at the sight before him. Its beauty was endless. He could see the ocean, deep blue, calm and serene as the sun set to leave them in the famous Twilight Town. He was still drinking in the scenery when a familiar scent hit is nose. His appreciative gaze shifted to the nymph sitting down blowing smoke out of her mouth. She blinked at him before offering him the small white object. He accepted it.

"I didn't think you smoked."

She chuckled, already mellowing out from their tension filled past day. "You didn't exactly ask me."

"You just don't seem the type."

Another chuckle. "And what, pray tell, type am I?"

Marluxia looked thoughtful as he inhaled deeply. "Should I really answer that?"

Her knives flashed in the now moonlit sky. "Hmm…at your own discretion. I can't guarantee your safety."

"No thank you," he murmured as he took a seat semi-next to her. "What did you need from Demyx?"

Instead of tensing and lashing out like he had predicated she simply laid back, hand under her head as she looked up at the twining starts in the sky. "You do remember our encounter with my step-father?" Marluxia nodded. "I never finished my story. My step-father…he is the scumbag responsible for so much of my misery…of so much misery all over. Yours too, apparently."

Marluxia nodded again. Another sigh. "Sorry for your loss." She chuckled. "What's so funny?"

"You're not what I expected flower boy." She laughed again. "I thought you might turn tail and run after that interlude with my step-father…Demyx was right about you."

For some reason her comment bothered him but he let it go as she leaned over here, arms planted on either side of her elbows. Once again, instead of lashing out she simply smiled and opened her once closed eyes. They stared at each other for a moment until she laughed again. "You're eyes…they look like the night sky," she whispered as she raised a hand to his cheek, her fingertips stopping as she brushed his skin. "SO much pain…so much…"

He frowned as her smile vanished; replaced with her lips in a weary, thin line. He shook his head. "There's some in you too." She let out another peel of laughter as he hand fell to her abdomen, her other moving to her eyes as he entire body heaved with the full extent of her exertion. Marluxia smirked. "Why aren't you like this more often?"

She stopped. "Why would you want everyone to know?"

He looked thoughtful again. "I want to know you."

Larxene shivered as he hands drifted down, her elbows coming up to support her Their noses were almost touching, their breath intermingling as she inhaled and exhaled nervously. "Why?"

"Because…you're the rare flower that I want in my garden."

Her breath hitched as one of his hands came up to cradle the back of her head, which was swimming with pure confusion. His hand slid through her short hair as her eyes slid closed, the feel of his fingers comforting her hectic mind. It suddenly felt hazy and her eyes began to droop. Sleepiness was beginning to overcome her as she felt his hands lifting her tired body to what he deemed a comfortable position. She blinked one last time, his calm face coming into mild focus before she found sleep take her. Marluxia stared down at her slumbering form nestled between his two legs. She had immediately curled up, her breathing even as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. It was soft like he'd originally thought, as was her fair skin. Her eyelashes fluttered we he touched them and Marluxia stopped. '_I can't—_' He felt his eyes widen at the realization. She was truly enchanting. And at that exact moment he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, the moon shining on her pale pink lips looking all the more inviting as the minutes passed. He blanched as she sighed, her fingers curling around his coat and a small smile placed her lips. Without thinking he touched a finger to his lips before gentle pressing it to hers. The night sky sparkled with the stars, the only witnesses to their interlude. And he was particularly glad for this.

Back at home Namine was staring out the big window in the living room. Roxas and Axel had gone out for the evening. They had invited Sora, Kairi and Riku over but none had shown up. Kairi was home with her uncle, Sora was with Leon and she knew nothing of Riku's whereabouts. She was still stargazing when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Riku. Open up."

She stiffened. "Oh…just a minute." She slowly opened the door to reveal Riku standing there. He had a sleeping bag, an overnight bag in the other, while a cigarette hung from his lips. "Hi…um…it's just you tonight."

"Yeah…Kairi called me. I ran into Sora on the way here." He dumped his bags by the staircase and made his way towards the kitchen. "How about Tea and a movie, Isuki?"

She gave him a withering look. "Listen, you don't have to say just because you feel bad."

He nodded. "I want to. So…pick out a movie."

"Fine." She marched over to the movies and, noisily, began to rifle through them. She settled on a movie called Pride and Prejudice. Riku raised a brow at this but said nothing as they settled on the couch, Namine as far away from Riku as possible.

He gave her a pointed stare. "Are you that scared of me Isuki?"

Horrified at being called out, she huffed. "I am not. But I don't actually know you that well."

He laughed. "Alright. Whatever. Play the movie."

The movie was halfway through when she realized it was beginning to resemble her life. She ignored Riku as she heard his light snored filter into her ears. Sighing, she flipped the TV off in hopes to go upstairs to her room for well deserved sleep. She'd been having nightmares. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard Riku call out to her. "What?" Her response was forced and curt.

"I said, why are you running off so soon…Namine?"

She froze. She hadn't really expected him to say anything to her, not when he was supposedly sleeping. She turned to look at him, mortified to see him so close to her within just seconds. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

He gave her a small smile as he started to ascend the stairs, stopping just a few inches from her. "Do you want to go for a walk in the backyard? It's a nice night."

Namine's eyes widened as she felt him take her hand, his skin warm but callus. She inhaled sharply as he began to lead her down the staircase and into the backyard. The moon was bright, the stars sparkling and there was a slight warm breeze. Namine felt herself relax as she let him lead her towards the ancient, dried out fountain in the middle of all those ancient statues. She took a seat as he released her hand and leaned against a statue. "So, Namine…it's just you and me…what do you do for fun around here?"

"You asked me that already."

He sighed. "Ok…so…are you going to prom this year or what?" She shook her head. He stared. "No date?" She nodded. "Hm…well, I think the gang and I can help you with that."

"No," she spat. "I am perfectly capable of doing that myself. Besides, the person I was going to ask is probably already taken."

"Oh?" He perked up. "Does Namine Isuki have a crush?"

She felt her face fill with heat and she gasped. "You—you! Shut up!"

He chuckled at her blatant inability to form proper sentences as a result of his comment. "It's ok to have a crush, you know."

"I don't have a crush." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So you're in love?" He lit another cigarette, inhaling quietly as Namine stared at him, her eyes following the smoke that clouded the front of his face. "It's ok to be in love Namine. Why are you so afraid of it?"

"I'm not afraid of being in love…I'm afraid of the person I am in love with right now," she replied quietly.

"Who is that? Is it ok to ask you that?" He questioned. He wasn't surprised when she shook her head. "Hm…that's too bad. You should tell him before its too late."

Again, she shook her head. "No, I…I can't. It's complicated."

"Nothing's that complicated Isuki. Just be honest; you'll be fine if you just tell him. I'm sure he returns the feelings. You're a great girl. Give yourself some credit Isuki."

She gave him a weak smile in response, not really sure what he was getting at but not that bothered. "Yes…ok…um…thanks Riku." The rest of the evening passed uneventfully with them watching another movie, this one being Riku's pick. The Shining. Namine thought she'd faint at all the blood in the movie, though there weren't a lot of parts like that. However, there were enough that she ended up running to the bathroom once followed by profusely hiding herself under the covers. Riku's laughter didn't seem to help all that much ether but she dealt with it, glad for the added company. By the end of the evening Namine found herself snuggled up to Riku's side, sound asleep. For his part Riku too was asleep when Axel and Roxas entered the quiet house. The pair stared at the spectacle the two had created on the couch, the TV's blue screen blaring into the background.

"Should we take a picture?" Axel asked, camera at the ready.

Roxas thought. "Hm…yeah but make it quick. I don't think we should piss off Riku. And I don't want to hurt Namine." Nodding, Axel snapped the picture. Luckily, neither seemed phased and continued their peaceful slumber. Smiling, Axel and Roxas made their way upstairs to their own room, quiet but laughing the whole time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The look Yuffie gave Tifa was far more apprehensive than the doctor anticipated and she wondered, briefly, if the young nurse had been listening to late night radio—or Aerith's ramblings. Cloud was seated next to her sipping his coffee as he read a report about sexual assault with mild disinterest. Tifa had the urge to hit him over the head for his stupidity and lack of seriousness regarding the case; but she was too focused on Yuffie to waste time on Cloud. Across from her Yuffie was clutching the folder containing Larxene's information as though it was going to disintegrate within her grasp. Tifa let out a sigh as the younger woman finally let go of the manila folder and slid it across the table towards her superior.

"So…where is this from?"

"Traverse Town Hospital. I recognized the last name Isuki and I…I just got a feeling so I opened it and all the information was there. I remember that Axel kid saying something when they brought Namine in here. Not to mention that the resemblance between the two is striking. All I have to do to really prove it is to go back and subpoena the records from the Adoption Agency, and look up information regarding their parents will…ah…though I don't have the exact power to do that," Yuffie managed in one breath.

Tifa poked Cloud's side and he almost dropped his coffee. "Hey, what gives?"

"I need you to go put in some subpoenas to the Local Adoption Agency and subpoena all records from this girl's parents—they should all be in Traverse Town." Tifa blinked thoughtfully. "You do have jurisdiction there, right?"

"Well yeah…this is the FBI. I have jurisdiction pretty much anywhere," he replied lamely.

"Well, then get the hell on it you bastard!" Tifa shouted and this time, he did drop his coffee and all over the article at that. "You fucking klutz…" He shot her a completely dirty look to which Tifa did a double take. "Cloud…I'm sorry…it's just that…" She trailed off when he whirled around, crushed his Styrofoam cup and tossed it in the nearest trash can. "Cloud?"

"Fuck off Tifa. I don't know what the hell your problem has been the last six months, but take it out on someone else. Fuck this. I'm out. I'll talk to you when I find something out." He gave her one last venomous look before walking towards the door. "Goodnight Yuffs."

"Goodnight!" Yuffie shouted back with a semi-cheerful smile as Tifa slumped in her seat. The young brunette turned towards her older peer and let out a low whistle. "Wow…Tifa…you gotta really work on this broken heart thing. Cloud has moved on and so should you."

"What do you know?" Tifa hissed as she gave Yuffie a death glare. The younger girl simply chuckled as she went back to shuffling through papers. Tifa scowled. "Whatever. I know…I know, ok? But every time I see him…I just get so angry…I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize to me," Yuffie replied. "I'm not the one who you're yelling at 24/7. I'm not the one with the broken heart raining on everyone else's parade."

"I do not have a broken heart," Tifa answered in annoyance as she swatted at Yuffie with her stack of medical papers. She knew that it was the ultimate lie to say this but she wasn't about to admit that to anyone. Aerith had, though unknowingly, taken her heart when she and cloud has started dating. After they dated it turned serious and the next thing Tifa knew, they were together—it'd been two years since then. They'd been happy and she'd been lonely, sad, angry, a whole kaleidoscope of emotions. Yuffie appeared to be the only one who noticed which she was eternally grateful for now. Her head hurt as she watched her younger friend shuffle through files and pictures, etc. The younger woman was so absorbed she didn't even notice Tifa staring at her. This is how Tifa knew Yuffie was very involved in their current case. Yet another fact she was grateful for seeing as to she could continue her charade without too much interference from any outside party. Her own conscience was quite enough to last her a lifetime.

"Hey Tifa, I think I found something," Yuffie chirped.

Tifa reached for her steaming coffee before turning her attention to Yuffie. "Yes? What did you find?"

"Larxene's file, it's full of sexual assault kits that were never completed. It looks like she ran away at seventeen too. She's suffered from numerous bruises, broken bones, trauma…she was seeing a counselor—but she had very little success."

"Hm…" Tifa scoured through the paperwork. "Huh? What's this? I don't believe it…"

"What?" Yuffie tried to see what her friend was gawking at. "What is it?"

"Yuffie…were you ever around when we had a Dr. Vexen here?"

"Um…no. Not that I can recall. Why?" Yuffie looked at her calendar just as Tifa jolted from her spot, grabbing frantically for her bags and her coffee. Puzzled, Yuffie darted after her, barely missing the door to her face as Tifa took long strides towards the elevator. "Tifa, hey! What's going on? Are we going somewhere?"

Inside the elevator, Tifa frowned. "Yes…we're going to see Attorney Kosaka."

"But it's midnight!" Yuffie shrieked as they stepped out of the elevator towards the parking lot. Tifa unlocked her car, the beeping of the car alarm alerting Yuffie to the slick, silver BMW parked in the back of the garage. "Are you nuts? He is going to flip. It's late Tifa!"

"If he is dedicated to this case, then he isn't going to care about time restraints," Tifa said as she slammed on the gas pedal, the tires squealing as she zoomed out of the garage. Yuffie fumbled for her seatbelt as she reached for the upper handle above the car window. She was scared and Tifa knew it. "Look, Yuffie, this is really important. Dr. Vexen is…he's just not a very good doctor. He is a deceptive rat. And I know, for a fact…there is something fishy going on here." Yuffie could only nod as they pulled into the driveway of Mr. Kosaka's expensive house where the lights in the living room were still on, and the TV was blaring. Tifa blinked. "Is he still up?" She and Yuffie were out of the car in minutes and at the door within seconds. She raised her hand to knock when the door swung open. "Oh..."

"Good evening Dr. Lockhart. I've been expecting you." Sephiroth gave her a tepid smile. "You're visit can only mean one thing, I imagine?"

She agreed, her face anything but hopeful. "Yes…it does. We really need to talk."

"Come in." Sephiroth closed the door behind them. Inside he turned to Tifa. "What have you found?"

"Dr. Vexen…I'm sure you remember him?" Tifa tossed the file on the glass table.

Sephiroth eyed it. "Yes…it does seem that we need to talk. Why don't you two lovely ladies have a seat? Would you like some tea? It's going to be a long night."

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

(So…first of all, I'd like to apologize to my fan base for taking so damn long with this chapter. There were a lot of problems that came up, mainly my computer crashing, me moving and not being able to find my backups, etc. Anyway, I tried to focus more on Larxene and Marluxia now, since I know it was beginning to bother people. There's a little more Riku/Namine in here. Hopefully the things I revealed are satisfactory, for now. But please, let me know what you think. I welcome all criticism, though flames are a less effective form—so keep that in mind. If you have questions please ask. I will answer them to the best of my ability. Thank you for still reading, reviewing, etc. Love you all. Peace out, until next time.)

_Sadistickunais_


	12. Searching

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. This is way beyond standard at this point, don't you think?_

_A/N: Chapter 12 is has arrived. I am SOOO sorry it took so long! The rules have not changed. The boy/boy love shall continue (sorry all—it's STILL not the main pairing) as will the Mature themes (I.E. that means Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Gangs, cussing, blood, horrible things that SHOULD NOT happen to people, etc…) and that means this story is not for young ones! I can't stress that enough and I sure don't want a lawsuit. The content hasn't changed either. It may seem overly harsh and if it is, well, why the hell are you still reading? I apologize for it taking so long. Life just happens._

Word coding: 'T_houghts_' , "Speaking", Random flashbacks or other stuff, Everything else

* * *

**SEARCHING**

Larxene woke up in a daze as she realized she could see the sky. '_The sky?_' Puzzlement washed over her as she blinked a couple more times to get herself adjusted. It was moments before she realized that there was a pair of legs under her head; more like a thigh. And a toned pair at that. '_And thighs?_' She freaked out when she tried to move but found herself stuck. When she glanced up she felt a wave of heat rush to her face. Marluxia was poised against a tree with his hands on her, one on her head whilst the other lay on her shoulder in a vice-like grip. He seemed to be utterly passed out as she gazed up at him, quiet, serene and non-threatening. Curiosity got the best of her at the last minute and she reached a hand up to touch him, not sure if he'd wake up. He didn't stir as her hand landed on his; she stared at him again. '_He's…so quiet…so still…_' She found herself slowly trying to stand, to sit, to move or do anything so that she could better see his face. It was shrouded with his hair, the long smooth layers of chestnut covering him, and she found herself wanting to see what was hidden.

Ever so carefully she pushed aside the silky strands to reveal the soft, now slightly tanned contours of his face. His high cheekbones were beautiful just like his finely chiseled lips complemented by thick brows and long lashes that completed his handsome face; Larxene found herself leaning in for a closer look. His breath was steady so she saw no reason to pull back from her exploration since he seemed to be soundly asleep. His eyes fluttered a bit and she did pull back, alarmed. He still didn't stir; he appeared to be having some sort of nightmare. She placed a gloved hand to his forehead and rubbed back and forth. Instantly he seemed to relax, the tension leaving his body as his face lolled to the side. Larxene smiled as she brushed her fingers across his cheek again, marveling at the smooth, tanned skin. But time was of the essence and they didn't have much of it, at that.

"Hey, flower boy, time to wake up." She poked his shoulder. Needless to say she was still slightly caught off guard as, by reflex she guessed, his hand came swinging up in defense. She blocked it with her forearm, smirking when their eyes met. Sapphire burned into sky blue as they both stood, chests heaving in mild surprised.

"That was a dangerous idea."

Larxene's smirk grew. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."

Marluxia shrugged as his nonchalant façade fell back into place, and it was as if the previous night never happened. "Hey, we should get back to your house. Axel will be looking for you."

"The fuck he is," Larxene spat. Marluxia gave her a pointed stare as he began to walk. She muttered. "Fine…"

The trek back to the mansion was quiet but the tension of the previous day had ebbed away, which both were thankful for in the end. Larxene's head hurt something terrible but she did not have aspirin with her for any relief, which was annoying and inconvenient. Marluxia seemed to notice this but decided not to say anything since Larxene had such a fiery temper. He didn't feel like losing any limbs today, or possibly an eye. He chuckled and Larxene gave him a curious stare. They were almost upon the house now and Larxene began to feel her gut fill with dread at facing Axel; she didn't want to deal with it. The decision to run was taken from her as Roxas came strolling out, waving enthusiastically.

"Hey Larxene, Marluxia." Roxas gave them a cheerful smile as the two entered the gates.

"Yeah…where is Axel?" She was straight to the point.

"Inside. Be quiet though, please. Namine and Riku are still sleeping," Roxas said, his eyes sparkling. "He's in your room…so be just ever so considerate, ok?"

"What? Did you break him down or what?"

Marluxia cringed. "Oh…gross. Too much information."

Roxas smiled, this time all teeth. "Glad I could be of service."

"Service your boyfriend," Larxene snapped. "I have a damn headache. I need an aspirin. Excuse me."

Once she's disappeared inside Roxas whirled around to face him. "Ok, spill. What were you two doing at Demyx's? He said you just ran off with Larxene."

Marluxia made a sour face. "Not exactly how it happened…why?"

Roxas shrugged. "Just curious. You two have been missing for a while. Contrary to popular opinion we do care about Larxene. She's like an older sister."

Raising a brow Marluxia nodded. "I suppose. We didn't do anything though. She took us to Sunset Hill. I fell asleep. She may have very well gone to kill someone. I don't really know." He blinked. "You're awfully nosy."

"And you're treading on dangerous ground," Roxas warned, quietly. "I'm just doing it for your own good."

"What would I have to worry about?"

"Your life." Roxas' face was somber. "Don't tease her. She's lost too much already. If you do, you'll pay for it."

"You're assuming I have any likeness towards her," he replied. "This is a ridiculous thing to suggest."

The young, dirty blonde gave him a weary smile. "Oh really? Hm…I suppose I should have anticipated this from you. Demyx is an excellent source of information."

Marluxia was taken aback though he did not show it openly. "Hmm…you're not as stupid as I thought."

Roxas smirked. "Glad I could fool you. Anytime."

A moment later they were in the mansion trying to creep through the living room so as to not wake Namine or Riku. Both were still soundly asleep on the couch. Roxas ventured towards his room while Marluxia made his way to the kitchen for some tea. Any distraction was greatly appreciated in this hell hole of a place, in his opinion. He was busily prepping the kettle when heard the loud slam of a door right before harsh steps down the stairs, then a blonde blur shoot past. He blinked just as Namine's head popped up and Riku yawned; Namine practically flew back to the other side of the couch when she realized where she was laying. Riku didn't seem to notice as he yawned again before rolling over a bit and looking towards the door. She had turned almost green as she started feeling her arms and glancing around self-consciously; the silver haired youth hadn't appeared to notice. She was just getting over her embarrassment and sudden discomfort when a red streak flew by and almost mowed Marluxia down. He cursed as he heard Axel shouting and running through the black wrought iron gates. Roxas followed shortly after though with an air of laziness; Marluxia assumed nothing was wrong at this gesture. Not a moment later a phone rang. He turned his head to the direction of the living room as he saw Riku pull out his cellular phone.

"Hello?" Riku sounded ever so groggy. "What? Are you sure? Can you wait like…twenty minutes?" Namine blinked, intrigued, as she paused from observing her skin. "Hm…ok, sure, be there in twenty." He turned to her. "Isuki, come with me."

She gasped. "What? Right now? Where? What for?"

He grabbed her hand. "Come on!" He was out the door in seconds with Namine flailing the whole way. "Hey, Hair Guy, tell them Namine will be back later, ok? Bye!"

Marluxia looked enraged. "What? I am not a messenger! And my name is Marluxia, damn it!" He was still fuming when he heard his own phone ring. '_Demyx._' He threw the phone in the garbage can, his anger returning. He could still hear Axel and Larxene going at it outside but made his way to the couch to sit down with his tea and think. His head hurt and he hoped, when he did decide to explore the "finer parts" of Larxene's house, that he would find some aspirin. Meanwhile, Namine was still sputtering in wonder as Riku dragged her down Market Street to who knew where. She was tying to catch her breath, and pry his hand off hers, to ask where they were headed when they skidded to a halt before the candy store. Blinking in curiosity Namine watched as Riku entered the store and reappeared, moments later, with a bag of sweets. She blinked again. Riku laughed.

"They're for my little brother, Kadaj. He's throwing a tantrum. It's a bribe. You've never met him before, I don't think."

She looked thoughtful. "No I…I don't think I have...I'm sorry?"

"For what?"

She bit her lip. "Oh…um…nevermind. Let's go." As they walked Namine marveled at the gentle sway of Riku's silver locks as the sun lit it to an almost heavenly golden. His walk was a confident gait, strong too. '_No wonder I am totally head over heels for this boy…_' she mused as he continued ahead of her, whistling like a little boy. "Riku…you bribe your little brother?" He nodded amicably. "Why? I mean…isn't that not helping him stop? Isn't it good to teach someone his age these things well…when he's young?"

Riku raised a brow at her. "Isuki…he's 16, just for your information."

She almost fell over in surprise. "What?" To say she was shocked was an understatement.

"Yes, he's already in high school. This is just how I get him to do what I say. Sure…Sephiroth doesn't agree with it but whatever. It works. I'll show you when we get there."

He pulled her hand and they were off again. She tried, desperately, not to feel ill from the pull of his warm hand on hers but he was too strong. She began to feel like she was going to scream in fear but a few minutes later they were standing outside of a fancy, two story house where shouts could be heard from inside. Namine cringed when Riku opened the door and the shouts exploded in volume. He ushered her in quietly as they made their way towards the living room. Namine almost fainted at the four figures standing before her. All possessed silver hair, emerald eyes and pale skin—just like Riku. She took it all in, surprised when they all turned in her direction, three jaws dropping. The oldest, a tall man with the longest hair she'd ever seen, rolled his eyes and came their way. Riku handed him the bag of candy before pulling her along to sit down on a chair across from the commotion. She was stunned when the youngest one—she assumed this was the infamous Kadaj she'd heard so much about—fell into a pathetic heap on the floor as the other two blinked. Riku chuckled.

"I see you've seen fit to make a fool of yourself in front of our guest. I won't stop you. Just go do it in your room."

"No!"

The tall one rolled his eyes again while he rubbed his temple. "Please take him up there. My patience is wearing thin. Do it now." The two grabbed their brother and dragged him up the staircase, kicking and shouting the whole time. Once the noise was snuffed out by the slam of a door the tall man turned to them as he let out a long sigh. "Riku…how good of you to come. Thank you for bringing this." He plopped the candy on the coffee table before taking a seat himself. Namine was still stunned. "So…to whom do I owe the pleasure of your company, young lady?"

"Oh…" she blushed. "Hello. My name is Namine Isuki. Pleased to meet you sir."

"Namine Isuki, is it?" He narrowed his eyes. Riku gave him a pointed stare. "Yes…charmed as well, Miss Isuki. My name is Sephiroth. You are…an acquaintance of Riku's, perhaps from school?"

She blushed a fiery red at this. "No, I…I am afraid not, sir. I am still in high school."

Sephiroth stared at his brother as Riku blushed a little. "Ah…I see. So…how did he come by your lovely face?"

"I go to school with Roxas, Kairi and Sora." She smiled, genuinely. "I assume the youngest…uh, Kadaj, goes there as well though I've never seen him."

Sephiroth agreed quickly. "Yes…how interesting." Riku glared. "So…what brings you to our humble abode?"

"I was watching movies at her house last night. Last minute request but I agreed. We had fun, right Isuki?" He nudged her with a smile. Namine blushed again despite the fact that all the nudges were making her feel slightly ill. "Anyway, I brought her along. She's never met Kadaj."

"And I'm afraid now was NOT the best time Riku. Honestly, what goes through the heads of you and your brothers?" He sighed again. "Nevertheless…I have business to attend to. You're welcome to anything, as usual. Give my regards to your mother, please. Nice to meet you Miss Namine."

She watched him go with mild interest that didn't show on her face. "He's…interesting."

"You have no idea," Riku replied. "You want some cookies? My mom is an excellent baker."

She nodded. "Sure. What kind of cookies are they?"

"Paopu puffs. Some ancient recipe from before the beginning of time," he replied as he rummaged in his backpack. "They're like shortbread with paopu filling. They're delicious, trust me."

Again, she nodded. The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach began to slip away as she watched him search his bag with determination. Even though his touch irked her, she'd never felt so much at ease with Riku before and was surprised that she was even able to communicate with him without all the timidness she normally felt. As if on cue she heard a loud crash before she saw three figures tumble down the staircase. Riku didn't so much as glance up from digging through his backpack. Namine blinked in confusion and surprise as she realized it was all three of his brothers minus Sephiroth—he didn't seem the type to play. She gulped as Kadaj glanced up and spotted her; his eyes widened then narrowed. He quickly picked himself and brushed off his clothes before making his way over to them. Riku still had yet to look up from his wild search. She was caught off-guard, momentarily, when Kadaj extended his hand.

"Hi, I'm Kadaj. What's your name?"

She stared at his hand a moment before reaching out to take it. She had almost placed it completely in his grasp when one of his brothers slapped it away. She glanced up in shock. The one with short hair smirked before shaking a finger at her. "Trust me…you'd rather not have done that."

The one with longer hair rolled his eyes. "Hey. This is Loz. He doesn't mean any harm but he's right. Kadaj is not one to trust. I'm Yazoo. What's your name again?"

"Namine…" she trailed as she watched Yazoo shove Kadaj to the side. The shorter, younger brother seemed unfazed as he wriggled his way between them again, this time simply staring at her. She gulped again, nervous. '_What the hell is Riku doing_?' She glanced over at him and noticed he'd found his cookies but was in the process of opening the bag. She was about to ask him something when she heard Kadaj speak.

"Hey. You're…hot. Are you and Kairi related?"

Namine blushed—she guessed about the color of Axel's hair—at the sudden comment before bowing her head. "Um…thank you?" She wasn't sure if he was teasing her but was, nonetheless, embarrassed by his straight forwardness. "And no…we're not related."

"Hm…" Kadaj was deep in thought. "So you're related to that crazy friend of her friends…what's her name…Larxene? She's a total babe! Tall, blonde, stacked, dangerous…I heard she's a floozy though…kind of easy…she has a reputation but whatever…she's so hot! I'd like to get into her!"

Unaware of where it came from, Namine stood and slapped him across the face, her eyes narrowed. When four pair of eyes widened she stepped back, holding her hand. "Oh I um…I'm sorry…it's just that…" She trailed off again as Kadaj gave her blank stare. Suddenly, she just threw her timid nature to the wind. "You know what, screw you! That's my sister! She's NOT a floozy! You're a jerk!" With that said she ran from the house, tears in her eyes as she slammed the door.

There was a resounding smack around the house as Yazoo slapped Kadaj over the head and Loz kicked him. Riku was quiet. "Look, Riku," Yazoo began. "You know Kadaj is an idiot…"

"Whatever," Riku snarled at his youngest brother. "You have no tact, you sorry, spoiled little brat! She's a nice girl and she wanted to meet you. Look how you repay her!" He began to storm out too in hopes of catching up with the fading figure of the blonde girl. "FUCK YOU KADAJ!"

Namine kept running and running without any intent to stop, and no idea where she was actually headed. All she knew was that she needed to get away from them as the memories came flooding back like a broken dam. She couldn't stop the tears nor could she stop running. She choked back a sob as someone yanked her arm back and she gasped. Whirling around she came face to face with brilliant aquamarine eyes as Riku pulled her close. She let out another sob as she fought for him to let go, kicking, screaming and flailing. Surprised at her reaction, Riku almost let her go until she began shaking. He pulled back just in time to see her cower in what appeared to be fear. Puzzled, he gently brought her to his chest and smoothed her hair as she cried, his arms holding her securely.

"Namine?" She nodded into his chest thought her quivering had not stopped. "Are you ok?" When she nodded slowly but continued to shake, Riku sighed. "I'm sorry…about my brother. Had I known he would've said that, I never would have introduced you."

She sniffled again as she shook her head, not caring that she looked ridiculous, too tired to fight him too. There was so much more swirling around her head as she remembered Kadaj's comments. "No, I… it's not that. I mean, yes, it was rude but I…that's not what's bothering me. My sister is not a whore. She just…no one understands her. No one knows her."

Riku agreed as he patted her head again. "I understand, Namine. You don't have to come visit again if you don't want to. Did you…still want a paopu puff? I still have them. No way in hell I'd leave them for Kadaj's idiotic ass. And they'll make you feel better. I promise."

She sniffled a little while wiping her eyes of any excess tears. "Sure, I'll have one."

With a smile, Riku grabbed her hand again, this time taking them in the direction of the haunted forest where Larxene lived. "Come on! I have to get you back before your sister kills me!" A light feeling settled in her stomach as she followed. For now, she decided to just let everything be before she returned home to the ugly feelings spreading through her body. He turned to her with another one of those beautiful smiles on his face as he bent forward and kissed her forehead. "You're a good sport Isuki. I'm glad you came with me." She blushed awkwardly as he ruffled her hair, her thoughts confused. "Come on. I bet Roxas has some hot chocolate made just for you."

* * *

Sora's bright eyes were dull as he perused his chemistry homework. He could hear Leon banging around in the kitchen in an attempt to make, in Sora's opinion, a pathetic dinner. He was so tired of Leon pretending to be a good big brother when he was hardly ever there. And Sora was quite disgusted that he was trying so hard now. '_Doesn't he get it? Doesn't he get that this is all just the worst ruse he's ever attempted to pull as my big brother?_' His AP chemistry homework was glaring him in the face, the problems mocking him for his inability to master them. He sighed. It was a rough night. He'd had to decline Namine's invitation to hang out; Larxene was nowhere to be found. He'd also declined Kairi's invitation to help him study as Leon had insisted that he stay for dinner. '_At least Riku made it._'

After everything that had happened to Namine he was glad that she was not left alone on such an evening. He wanted to be there, to be a good friend to her because that was the type of person he was deep down inside. But Leon, apparently, sought to ruin his plan at every turn; he was thoroughly upset and put off by this behavior. He had already thought about hitting Leon over the head with a skillet or a broom but ended up changing his mind at the loud thud that echoed through the room. He figured that Leon was in enough embarrassing pain as it was, most likely having dropped the skillet on his head or hand or some other extremity. Sora could care less about all his misfortunes. "Oh…boohoo…too bad," He muttered under his breath. He was pretty sure that the red ball he'd been throwing at the wall was going to leave a stain on the white paint; but he didn't care too much anymore. That seemed to be a current trend that he didn't want to stick. It contradicted every part of his personality and that it what he hated the most.

"Sora!"

He clenched his teeth as Leon called for him to come eat whatever horrid dinner he'd managed to cook up. Sora ignored him as he threw the ball at the wall one last time before picking himself off the bed and heading towards the dinner table. What he saw left him so annoyed he almost turned around and left. "You made pizza?"

"Well yeah…at least it's homemade."

"So what?" Sora's eyes looked aghast. "This is your special dinner? You've got to bed kidding me!"

Leon looked annoyed as he began cutting the pizza and put a piece on Sora's plate. The young brunette seemed overly aggravated as he took a seat at the dingy table, arms crossed over his chest in an obstinate fashion. He didn't touch his dinner even as Leon continued to eat in the deafening silence that blanketed them. To Sora it was more suffocation. A horror tactic, Sora liked to think. His mind was going a million miles a minute as he tried to figure out a way to get out later. It was a school night but he was sure Leon had to go back to work, late, as usual. He wanted nothing more than to disappear, melt under his chair, anything to be away from Leon's ridiculousness. '_God, this is so stupid._' His phone buzzed and he knew it was Kairi calling. How he wanted to answer it, to say he was coming over, to hear her voice through the phone. '_Damn it._' His phone buzzed again and this time he answered it. "Hello? Hey, sorry, I'm eating dinner." Sora glanced at Leon who was glaring. "Can I come over later if Lexaues says it's ok?"

"Sure, I can ask, then text you?" Kairi sounded anxious, maybe even slightly strained. "Bye Sora."

"You didn't even ask if you could go."

"Should I?" Sora looked murderous. "You're going to go to work. I'm going to sneak out anyways. What's to ask?"

"You've been sneaking out?!"

Sora rolled his eyes as Leon started on his tirade, already mentally blocking him out. It was easy when he'd been doing it for a couple years now. It was like second nature. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't easy. Before he knew it Leon had marched out the door for work, apparently done with Sora's ignoring him. As soon as he was out the door Sora sprinted to his room, grabbed his coat and ran to Kairi's. He was a few minutes away when Kairi's text arrived; it gave him an affirmative. Smiling, he knocked on her door. There was some shuffling, a crash, then wild laughter before Lexaeus opened the door.

"Evening Leonhart."

Sora nodded, semi-nervously. "Good evening. May I come in and study with Kairi, sir?"

Lexaues allowed him inside before going back to tinker with the kitchen sink. Sora raised a brow as he passed to set his books on the table. Kairi offered him a smile. "Hi Sora. I'm glad you could make it."

Sora smiled back. "Trouble with the sink?"

"Uncle Lexaues broke it," she snickered.

"Did not!" He shouted.

Kairi rolled her eyes again as she pulled out her AP Chemistry homework to work on with Sora. She was a little dazed as she handed him a pencil, her eyes feeling a little droopy. She sneezed. Sora glanced at her. "Are you getting sick?"

Kairi nodded as she started on her chemistry problem. "Yeah…I think I am getting the flu. It sucks…right before the chemistry project, too! By the way…are you and I partners?"

He shook his head. "Sure…we gotta pick something though."

"Hmm…I will think about it…about something!" She sneezed again.

"Ok," he said, all smiles. "Maybe you should have some soup? Did you have dinner yet?"

"No," she replied warily. "Uncle Lexaeus has been working on the sink forever."

"Well…I could warm you up a can, if you have any," he offered. She nodded, seemingly delighted at the suggestion. Sora gave her a small smile as he made his way towards the kitchen where Lexaeus was still banging around under the sink. He blinked. "Um…Mr. Hashiba…would you mind if I made Kairi some soup? I think she's catching the flu…" He trailed off as a grunt followed by a hand to the cabinets came from between the spilled water and sink. "Um…thanks."

Immediately Sora went to work warming up her soup—simple canned vegetable—as his mind wandered to his treatment towards Leon earlier that evening. He didn't think it was completely unfair but he didn't feel Leon warranted any better behavior. He knew that Leon was trying hard but he hated being lied to all the time by someone who was supposed to love him and care for him. '_Still…maybe I've been kind of an ass to him…_' Sora thought woefully as he stirred the liquid in the warm pot. He loved his brother, and his kinder nature was beginning to get the better of him the more he thought about it, mainly because Leon worked so hard. '_But we never seem to get anywhere! He's holding out on me, the bastard!_' His eyes hardened as the soup finished cooking, his sympathy disappearing as he poured the warm food into a bowl. He walked over Lexaeus' stretched legs and made his way over to where Kairi was blowing her nose with fervor. She had turned pale but her nose was red from the tissue and he laughed. She looked up in wonder before her eyes widened in thanks as she graciously accepted the steaming bowl he presented.

"Thanks so much, Sora! I'm starving!" She took a small spoon and began blowing on it. "Oh! Come to my room really quick! I think I have an idea for our Chemistry Project." They made their ways towards her room—Sora suddenly nervous as his palms began to sweat—as she threw a comment over her shoulder. "Be right back Uncle! I'm going to go get my notebook, ok?" A grunt. "Thanks Uncle!"

Inside her room Sora wasn't that surprised to see it decorated in soft purples and pinks with marine life decals everywhere. He'd never seen the inside of her room before but it screamed Kairi everywhere, if rooms could scream at all. He grinned as he saw the Paopu keychain hanging on her jewelry tree. He'd given it to her a few years ago, when they'd first became friends. He knew Riku had hated him back then and they weren't necessarily best friends now; but Riku had grown on him and accepted that he liked Kairi. He knew Riku had liked her too—that tended to happen when a guy and girl were best friends. Unless one was referring to Roxas' flaming ass. Namine and Roxas were NOT compatible. He let out a chuckle as he waited for Kairi, who was rummaging through a pile of books, to find her notebook. He tried hard not to pay attention to her school uniform skirt, which was slowly riding up her thigh. It wasn't a very short skirt but it wasn't that long either. Her blouse from earlier that day was gone to be replaced by a thin, tight tank-top since Twilight town was unbelievably hot no matter what time of the day.

Her hair was hanging loosely over her shoulders as her lithe fingers picked up a bright pink notebook from the stack. "Aha! I found it!"

In his attempt to see her discovery he had leaned in too close. When she whirled around they bumped noses so hard that he fell over. When she tried to catch him she went tumbling with him as well. Letting out a shriek she braced herself against him as they both landed on the floor. He blushed furiously as they both realized how close they were. Kairi lay atop him, her arms on either side of his shoulders; his hands were bracing her up above him. She took in a shaky breath as she saw his tomato-colored face below her. Any other time it would have been hilarious except that they were in quite the compromising position. She felt her eyes close as she tried to think of an easy way to get out of their situation when she heard a crash. She looked back to see her stack of heavy notebooks and textbooks laying all over Sora's legs and shins.

"Ouch…" he whispered below her. She turned to him and let out a peel of laughter. "That hurt…so not funny, Hashiba."

She couldn't stop laughing as she tried to hold herself up to no avail. A few seconds later she too came crashing down upon him as the laughter continued. He couldn't help but smile but felt strange as her body lay atop his, shaking. When her laughter died down only the quiet remained and she realized where they were and how they were positioned. Reality crashed down on her as she looked up. Sora was frozen in place as she felt heat rush through her.

"Oh…I…Sora…um, that is…do you need help up?" She asked, quietly.

"Do you?" He replied just as quietly, even a little shocked. "Maybe…you should get up first."

"Oh yeah…that would be good idea, probably." She answered suddenly feeling a little playful. "But since when are good ideas always the best?" She slowly leaned over and gently touched her lips to his, catching him completely off-guard. She had liked Sora for a long time and now was the perfect opportunity to tell him—or show him. She waited for a response but felt nothing but a slight tremble from him. '_Am I…wrong_?' She froze for a second but changed her mind when she finally felt his arms come up and gently settle on her back. '_Nevermind._' She felt his lips move beneath hers as he kissed back. He seemed nervous but she was ok with that so she smiled against him. When they broke for air she gave him a wink. "You're a pretty good kisser, Leonhart. Who would've known?"

He grinned a little, still surprised. "Who would've thought you'd be so straight-forward Hashiba?" They both let out another laugh as their lips met again. Outside her door, Lexaeus looked like he wanted to faint. When they broke for air the second time both Sora and Kairi agreed that they needed to get back to work. He smirked. "Hey, Hashiba, how about we do our project on chemical reactions when pushed into motion by outside forces of nature?"

Kairi giggled as he swooped into to kiss her again. "I'd say that's a perfect project proposal!"

* * *

When they arrived back Roxas did, as said, have a nice pot of hot chocolate made and waiting for Namine. He greeted her and Riku at the gate with a smile and a friendly wave. Larxene and Axel were nowhere in sight but Marluxia was asleep on the couch when they entered the mansion. Zexion was present but there was absolutely no sign of his boyfriend anywhere and Namine blinked in surprise.

"Zexion…where is Demyx?"

"He's not welcome here anymore, I suppose. Not just yet anyway. It seems that he has, somehow, in the strangest way, really, been replaced by someone else." Zexion responded blankly as he opened cabinet after cabinet in search for the coffee. "I think he's busy at home though I haven't seen him since last night."

She gave him a curious stare as she realized he had spoken quite a bit. "Um…but he's your boyfriend."

"Yes," Zexion replied, still blank. "I do not, however, keep tabs on him. He is a grown man, Little Namine."

"Oh," she said, bewildered. Roxas brought her a cup of the steaming liquid as Riku plopped down next to her, ear connected to his phone as Yazoo's voice drifted through the other end, sounding exasperated. She took a sip, idly eyeing Riku's side as if interested in sliding up next to him—but she didn't. Roxas gave her a narrowed glance, which she shook her head to, and went about his way to find Axel. She thought he might be a little jealous since he was usually in the position Riku was at the moment but she needed more than friendship right now. She didn't know if Riku could provide that—she was pretty sure he still liked Kairi—but she'd live with the fantasy for the next few minutes. Zexion seemed to notice but said nothing as he scooped coffee into the filter before setting the coffeepot on its highest setting. Marluxia was still slumbering peacefully in the corner when Axel and Roxas returned. Larxene followed a few minutes later in a drunken daze, having just awakened from a very long nap. She ignored Riku and Namine as she went for the coffee Zexion was making. They were having a small, quiet conversation in the kitchen when Axel leaned over the couch.

"So…getting a little close to our crush, are we?"

Namine's face flushed as she looked at Axel, their noses touching as she glared weakly. She leaned back so far to escape Axel's accusing glare that she practically backed up against Riku. Though not there she was still within reach. "He—he is not! He just helped me out today!"

"Liar, Liar, pants on fire, Nami!" He whispered dramatically in her ear. Riku's was still glued to his phone but he didn't seem bothered as his fingers played with tendrils of her silky blonde hair, which cause her to flush unbeknownst to him. "I think someone is crushing…and she's not the only one!"

She flushed harder as she almost spit out her hot cocoa. "Axel," she whined as she tried to shut him up. "Be quiet! He'll hear you!"

Axel glanced at him. "Oh please girly, he's absorbed right now. He can't hear shit."

"I can to flame boy," Riku snapped as he smirked at the redhead. "You and I need to have a talk after this phone call."

Said flame boy smirked back, his face coy. "Oh? This should be exciting. I've always wanted to try a platinum blonde to add to my conquest list."

"Axel, stop being a flirty slutbag," Roxas said as he walked by with another cup of hot chocolate. It seemed Marluxia had stirred and asked for a cup as well. Ever the sweet host Roxas brought him one. The redhead pouted at this as his boyfriend sat next to the brown haired man, staring. "Hm…"

"Hm? What do you mean "hm?" I am not being a slutbag! Where's my hot chocolate?" Axel practically roared at his blonde haired boyfriend. "Hey, and stop staring at Marluxia! I don't think that—" Unfortunately the words never quite made it out of his mouth before Larxene had appeared—seemingly out of thin air—and poured her steaming hot coffee, fresh from the pot, all over his head. He sputtered and screeched as the hot liquid cascaded down his flaming red mane onto his pale skin and dripped from the ends of his hair. He let out a real roar as he spun around to hit her but she had already dug her kunai into his neck. "Why you—you…bitch!"

"Shut it flame boy. I have a headache to rival the French coup and demolition of the Bastille. SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP. You're getting on my damn nerves!" She hissed through clenched teeth. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair wild and lips in a snarl. Marluxia thought she looked very much like a feral cat. Axel didn't even flinch as she pressed the knives harder for emphasis since he had said nothing to comply with her request, or command, rather. "Did you hear me, Axel, did you? I swear I will cut off that part which makes you fertile if I have to hear your girly whining one more time!"

He scoffed at this as he threw his weight at her, knocking her back to the point where she stumbled and fell on her ass. She shrieked, uncharacteristically, as Axel jumped on her, lighter at her antennae as he held her down with his legs. "Look, pretty lightning bug, don't make kill you just cause YOU decided to get a case of FUCKING PMS!"

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME, AXEL! I'M GOING TO SLIT YOUR THROAT!" She shouted back as she struggled to get free.

Marluxia watched this with mild interest as Roxas stood up to get more hot chocolate for him and Namine. Riku was still on the phone, only shooting them occasional glances but not really that interested in their little scene. Their daily brawls were something he, as well as everyone, had become accustomed to and able to fully ignore. Larxene was hissing and spitting again, like a feral cat, and Marluxia turned his gaze towards the TV as the previous night was completely forgotten. He was sure that she had merely been under the influence of drugs to have said the things she did. Both of them must have been. Then, out of nowhere, it appeared Larxene had gained some kind of upper hand and had managed to bite Axel's wrist so hard that he yelped and released her. She threw him back against the coffee table so hard that it shook its content to the floor where a glass platter broke and shattered to a million tiny pieces.

"What crawled up her ass? She was calm a few minutes ago," Marluxia commented as the battle between Axel and Larxene continued. He knew she had a headache but for it to have been that bad would've implied a hangover. Last he checked they'd only smoked and he knew, for a fact, that it did not cause major headaches. Roxas shrugged. "Hmm…oh well."

Axel, for his part, was struggling to remove kunai from his arms as Larxene tried to kick the can of hairspray from his hand. Neither was having too much success as Namine stared and Riku continued to chat on his phone, his arm resting comfortably behind his head. The fact that no one made a move to reconcile the situation would've irked anyone else. But Marluxia calmly sipped his cocoa as the carnage carried on like a bad TV show without commercials or any other bothersome interruption. The raging display continued across the living room before it finally ended up in the clean kitchen. Minutes later the loud bang and crash of fallen pots and pans echoed. Only seconds later did the breaking of dishes chorus as did the clanking of thrown utensils. By the time their savage fight had moved outside everyone's ears were ringing; Riku had long since been done with his phone call. Roxas was now lazily flipping through the television channels while Namine and Riku talked about another get together. Marluxia noted she seemed a bit more upbeat and enthusiastic. She also wore a small but genuine smile on her lips. '_It seemed she's a lot better._' He was amazed at the fact that she let Riku get so close but glad that it seemed to be getting better. Then again she could lose it at any moment, he knew. '_Jacob was—'_

The thought died quickly. He stood abruptly as Roxas settled on the discovery channel—something about the mighty "Dancer." He could care less as he made his way towards the backyard in silence, which no one seemed to notice. However, Namine had risen from her seat to follow him as Riku received another call from one of his brothers. It was a great time to slip away and she took it. Her sister was nowhere in sight and that was a great advantage for her at that exact moment since Larxene seemed to have a strange hate for Marluxia. She found him sitting by the dried up fountain, his hands caressing the barely living flowers with an oddly loving expression. A small smile lit her features. '_He seems like such a gentle person. How can my sister hate him so much?_' Namine found herself puzzled as she continued to watch him.

"You can come join me, if you wish, Miss Namine."

She jumped as their eyes met; his held friendly warmth and mystery as he beckoned her forward to come sit with him. She quietly obliged as she made her way towards him to sit down atop the concrete structure, which scraped her legs and scratched her delicate skin to a slight redness.

"Tell me, Miss Namine, why do you hide?"

She blushed. "Well, Larxene doesn't approve of me talking to you. You're a stranger. It's safety first, to her."

He smirked. "I'm no longer a stranger, Miss Namine."

"I think you're a good person," she answered quickly but shook her head, too. "But Larxene is not so easy to sway. She wouldn't have made it this far, not acting that way or being so trusting."

He seemed interested. "Do tell, Miss Namine."

She hesitated. "I can't. It's not my story to tell."

He nodded. "You're quite the trustworthy sister. Larxene has much to be proud of by you, dear girl."

Namine blushed at his statement as she scooted closer to watch as he pulled out a flask of water to quench the thirst of the poor, dying plant. The way he handled it, so lovingly and sweet, made Namine see him as nothing more than a tender hearted person. She gave him another smile as she watched him place the flask back into his coat and sat to lean back against the granite surface. She joined him quietly, leaning slightly near him but not close enough to touch—she felt like his presence soothed her even though the thought of his masculinity disgusted her. She flinched when he reached out a hand and touched her hair, catching a strand between her fingers before twirling it slightly. The soft golden strands reminded him of a certain nymph and he smiled, a bit uncharacteristically, as his thoughts drifted to her for a few seconds. Hers was, although, perhaps a few shades darker and a little more unruly and coarse. He could only raise a brow as she seemed to shy away from his gentle fingers, his lips quirking in a slight frown.

"Are you afraid of me?"

She shook her head tentatively. "Uh, no I…its not that…but I mean, you know and all…being there that night…" She felt ready to cry as he leaned away from her, his lips still in that frown she thought didn't fit his features. "Oh, Marluxia…I'm sorry…I uh…"

He chuckled, shaking his head profusely. "If I'd had a sister…how it would've been nice to have one like you. You know…I…"

"Did you have a brother?" The words cut deep as he turned away, closing his eyes in shame as she reached out a hand to touch his arm. "Sora said that…you had a brother. Marluxia…what was he like? Do you mind telling me?"

He sighed. He didn't know how to react to her questions because he hadn't talked about it in years and it was precisely what he was trying to forget. He had tried, for years, to keep the secrets hidden in the deep recesses of his mind, so that he could move on with his life. But lately, they'd resurfaced and were driving him mad. His run in with Demyx, his nightmares, Sora—it was all getting to be too much. No one had actually ever asked him either, especially not someone as young as Namine, and especially not a stranger. He could hear it in her voice, the tender concern, the genuine curiosity to know more about him. Not to judge, not to berate or criticize; but to know, to learn and to grasp truth. He wanted to open up and let go of the demons but he didn't know if Namine was the person for it. Her young, semi-innocent mind was not exactly the thing he wanted to ruin with his shadows and troubled past. She had already suffered enough in the past month or so; how could he possibly unload on this girl, this troubled child? Shaking his head, he pushed himself off the ground to stand, leaving Namine puzzled on the floor.

"Marluxia?"

"Namine…I'm afraid I must not tell you. I cannot and I will not. Thank you for accompanying me this evening. Goodnight." He could hear her disappointment but did not turn back as he glanced towards the door to see Larxene standing there, arms crossed against her chest. She did not look murderous but she did not look pleased either. He was almost to her when she stepped from the threshold to meet him, her eyes guarded, stance antagonistic. They stopped, side-by-side, quiet and tense as they both turned to each other. "Be nicer to her, savage nymph. She's a good girl. Perhaps you should take better note of that before you make a dire mistake."

"My name is Larxene, asshole. And why do you keep interfering?" Her knives flashed in light but she did not make to strike him. He gave her a sinister smirk. In reply, she simply nodded, a small, solemn frown placing her mouth for the first time he'd ever seen. "Well…goodnight, flower boy."

"It's Marluxia, damn it." With not so much as a second glance back he walked through the door into the living room and departed through the front door.

Axel and Roxas bade him goodnight on the way, watching silently as he disappeared into the distance until he became a fading figure to their eyes. Riku sat there, somewhat contemplatively, as Axel and Roxas made their way up to their room to retire for the evening. Larxene came in shortly after with her eyes slightly lowered and gave Riku a sideways glance before retiring to her own room for the evening. Somewhere in between all the occupants leaving and Marluxia's departure, he realized that Namine was nowhere in sight. '_Where did she go?_' He glanced around until he noticed the backdoor was ajar. '_Hm…she must've left when I was on the phone with Yazoo.'_ Rising up from the couch he made his way back towards the yard in search of the blonde haired girl. He found her, quite quickly, sitting on the stone fountain, seemingly deep in thought and mostly, oblivious to his even exiting the back door. He was a few feet away when she shifted, gasping as she saw him. Her face flushed scarlet as he came to sit next to her though quite a bit of distance away. She nodded to him slowly, her eyes flashing in surprise as she looked at him. Riku smiled a little at her display.

"It's a nice night out," she whispered.

He agreed, stretching out on the cold surface. "Yeah, it is. Do you mind if I smoke?"

She shook her head. "Um…no...it's fine." Her mind was still focused on Marluxia and the subject she'd broached; clearly he'd been bothered and hadn't kept it that much of a secret. She couldn't seem to hide this from Riku either. She felt heat fill her face as she realized he was staring at her intently, his eyes unreadable to her closed gaze. Sighing, she scooted her legs from underneath her and allowed them to hang over the edge of the fountain just as Riku blew out a cloud of smoke in the opposite direction. "Um…Riku…I was wondering…why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"

He let out a peel of laughter as he watched Larxene disappear from the window—he assumed she was checking on her sister. Namine didn't appear to have noticed. "Why not? Is there a reason I should be so mean to you, Isuki?" He shrugged. "You're a sweet girl. I don't see what reason I have to be mean."

"Yeah…silly question, I guess," she replied as she turned her glance up to where the stars were twinkling in the sky. '_Twilight Town is truly radiant tonight_.' She was grasping for something to talk about when Riku reached out, his arm slinging around her shoulder and pulling her close. She made to wriggle away but stayed when she realized he was not about to let go. There was a strange combination of fear, anxiety and uncertainty that washed over her at his touch but she did her best to curb it. She was sure he could feel her shaking beneath his fingertips and felt slightly embarrassed that she couldn't get herself under the proper amount of control. "Riku, I…I can't…" He said nothing as he nodded to her, allowing the small sobs to wrack her body and not questioning it at all. Somehow the night seemed to pass peacefully despite her turmoil and his acceptance of her tears.

In her room, Larxene was watching Namine and Riku outside in her backyard. Her kunai were raised to her lips as she waited, with baited breath, for him to make the younger girl cry. But when Namine did Larxene found that they were not the tears she was expecting; and Riku simply let her be without even so much as a sideways glance. For all her life Larxene could not begin to fathom what that was like, to have someone like Riku let her vent, to let her sit with the pain of what had happened. Suddenly, she felt herself become morose as she took in what it meant for her sister. Perhaps Namine had finally found someone special. That it was Riku was a bit bothersome—she wasn't so sure about him—but he seemed genuine, as far as she could tell. Kairi, Sora, and Roxas had known him for a while now, Kairi for the longest. But he didn't seem like a bad kid unless one thought smoking cigarettes was a horrible habit. '_Like I can talk,_' she mused to herself as she lit up her own cigarette. She could hear Axel and Roxas watching TV from across the other side of the hall though it didn't bother her tonight as much as others, which she thought was peculiar. Shifting from one hip to the other, she found herself staring, openly now that no one was around, at the two sitting on the fountain in her moonlit backyard. There were times when she wished she had that but then, like Namine's recent dilemma, she found herself drifting back to those parts of her teenage years, the parts she tried to forget. Yet, she knew, on some level, they were parts that made her who she was now, and she wasn't sure she'd change that.

Sighing, she made her way towards her room again as she closed the blinds on the display she'd previously been staring at for minutes on end. She passed by the empty shower and hesitated. In truth, she had been, slightly, neglecting hygiene due to Namine's incessant showering but now was as good a time as any to "get clean." She glanced around momentarily before darting into the bathroom for a long deserved shower. Relishing in the cool water as it slid over her hot skin in the muggy evening air of Twilight Town, Larxene's thoughts drifted back to Marluxia's forlorn figure walking out of her house about an hour prior. She had wanted to ask him what was wrong, to see what it was that made him look so grim. Was it out of pure curiosity, genuine caring or sick fascination? She couldn't quite tell but she knew she wanted to know what made him tick, what made him sad, what made him smile—but mostly, what made HIM. She was, after all, human and a naturally curious creature in general, mainly because her mother kept so many secrets about how they lived when they were younger. Namine had been so innocent back then. '_So was I…seems like such a long time ago._' Shuddering at the images that seemed to spring from nowhere, she grabbed for her towel and made her way back to her room, only barely noticing that her friends' room was completely silent now. '_I guess they went to sleep._' Once inside the comfort of her room she went about her "normal daily" rituals when her brand new cellphone began ringing like it was the objects only purpose in life. Narrowing her eyes, Larxene picked up the noisy contraption, flipped it open and stared at the number flashing on the screen. Anger boiled up inside her as she pressed talk.

"You have some fucking nerve…"

"Ah, Larxene…a good evening to you, too. I am calling to propose another meeting, this time without any outsiders. You understand, of course. I am more than willing to work with you here, if you return Namine to me, that is." His voice sounded coarse with a hint of velvet crème. His eloquence would never cease to amaze her if she ever held him in high regard, which would never happen as long as they both lived. "I will make it worth your while. I will not bother you. I am a very forgiving and tempered man, Larxene. You do know this."

"You're scum," she spat into the receiver, shaking even as she held her towel closer to her body. "You can't have her. There's no way in hell I'd give her back to you, asshole. You keep sending your little dogs around here and I'll make you sorry!"

"Ah, tsk-tsk…such threats, my sweet blonde. I will have to reprimand you for such insolence. I am being quite generous. You wouldn't try anything rash now, would you?" His silky voice held laughter in its wake as she heard a small chuckle emit from the other end. "I daresay, dear girl, you're playing with forces even you can't contend with in your lifetime. Do you really want to go down this road with your dear old…step-father?"

Her anger only continued to escalate as she fell back against her wall in frustration, nervously running her fingers through her hair as she struggled to find a good comeback, a good threat for him. "Listen, I am not giving her back. There is an attorney working on Namine's case, so you'd better back off unless you want all your business aired out to the town, fucker." He seemed to pause at this, his breathing changing. "If you ever threaten me, or touch her again, or so much as even THINK about hurting us or my friends…I will kill you. So you'd better get your shitty cronies out of my face. I'm coming for you, "father" and I hope, for your sake, that you're prepared."

"We'll be seeing each other soon," he whispered dangerously into the speaker as he hung up.

Larxene breathed in a heavy but even breath as she looked up to her flickering ceiling light. She hadn't hear Namine come in yet and wondered if it was safe for her outside. When she chanced a quick gander out her window she saw that Riku was bringing her sister inside, though Namine looked half asleep as the young silver haired boy supported her weight. '_I have to act now,_' she mused as she scrolled through her phonebook. She wouldn't call it stalking but she had copied some numbers from Demyx's phone, namely Zexion's, Xigbar's and Marluxia's. Somewhat tense and uncertain, she pressed the call button on Marluxia's number since she and Demyx weren't really talking either. She was surprised when the phone picked up though there was a bunch of static and shouting before anyone actually answered it.

"Hello?"

"Flower boy, I need you to come with me. I have something that might interest you."

"Nymph?" He sounded puzzled. "How did you get my phone number? And why, may I ask, are you calling me at such an atrociously late hour?"

"Do you ever stop talking like we're from the Victorian ages, you ass?" She snapped back as she searched her room for a shirt and some pants. "Anyways, are you in or not?"

"It depends," he replied. "I need to know what's in it for me. I don't like taking uncalculated risks, especially with the likes of you."

Growling, she managed to hold the device to her ear as she slipped on her jeans and a tank top she found in a pile of what she hoped was clean clothes. "Listen you priss, I am not prone to asking people for help or even if they'd like to do something like this with me. But you offered me some help, so….you going to help me or not? I don't have time to waste, you jerk."

A laugh followed. "Well, since your time is so precious, and since you asked so politely, then I suppose I could give you a moment or two of my help. Where should I meet you on this fine evening?"

Pausing for a minute, she let a small smile grace her lips as she found herself softening at his proper words and mockingly polite manner. "At Sunset Hill. There's…something I want to show you."

"As you wish, Savage nymph."

There was a click then silence as she reached for her heavy black coat. She had it almost all the way on when she realized it was way too hot for her to be wearing such a thick leather coat, and in Twilight Town of all places. Taking one last look around her room, Larxene threw her coat on the bed, grabbed her keys, wallet and phone before darting down the stairs. She only briefly waved to Riku and Namine, who were standing in the kitchen talking quietly, Namine eating cookies as Riku sipped strawberry milk. Namine gave her an uneasy smile as she walked past. Riku nodded. Once in the outside air, Larxene made her way towards the hill, only noticing the stars because they were shining so brightly in the dark blue sky. When she reached the top, she saw him standing there, sans coat, his chestnut hair gleaming in the moonlight. She stopped for a moment, drinking in his features and appearance when he turned to her. She felt shock fill her at being caught but managed to shrug it off with a nonchalant stare as she walked towards him until she was standing a few feet apart.

"What did you want me to see?" He asked, hands in his pockets.

Larxene glanced up. "Follow me. This…is something both of us need to talk about."

**

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**

_(I apologize, again and again, for taking so long. I was trying to write a good chapter for everyone but I am not sure I accomplished that. However, I hope you enjoyed it, even a little. But please, let me know what you think. I welcome all criticism, though flames are a less effective form—so keep that in mind. If you have questions please ask. I will answer them to the best of my ability. Thank you for still reading, reviewing, etc. Love you all. Peace out, until next time.)_

_Sadistickunais_


	13. Noticing

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Chapter 13 has been posted!! I apologize for taking extremely long to come out with this chapter. Life…just happened so quickly. Amongst other things. However, it is finally here for those of you who are still following it. There is still boy/boy love, sexual assault, domestic violence, rape, molestation, cutting, drugs abuse, etc. Therefore, the warning completely applies. If you find it offensive or inappropriate, I suggest you stop reading immediately and no blame any bullshit on me or the website. Thank you. On with the story.**

**Word coding:** '_Thoughts'_ , "Speaking", _Random flashbacks or other stuff,_Everything else

**:THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LINE BREAK HERE:**

NOTICING

The night was warm but the sky had definitely darkened some hours ago. Larxene strolled at an even pace though her body was anything but calm. Tension coursed through her veins like a bad habit as she made her way towards Sunset Hill. The fact that she'd even allowed Marluxia into her private domain of comfort was something she did not understand, let alone think about when it happened. But now, the aftermath was making her wonder if she should have thought better of it. Her eyes wandered, darting quickly at people as they passed by her in the evening air, thinking that perhaps, there could have been a better time to show Marluxia the place that she dreaded so much. She knew, though she would show him that she would not tell him her exact feelings on the place. But the nagging that he needed to know these things had not gone away and she was sure now, mostly after Demyx's confession that he too was somehow connected to the disgustingly perverted and twisted web that her step-father had weaved over so many years ago.

"So…why, if I may ask, are we here, Nymph?" Marluxia's brown hair shone brilliant silver at the crown in the magnificent moonlight. His sapphire eyes were dark but focused as she leaned against the wall across from him, her hands to the granite like her back. His mind pondered their interlude, as she remained quiet. Not usually so impatient, he found himself slightly agitated that she wasn't being more forthcoming with her weird reasoning and explanations. Larxene's sea green eyes flashed menacingly as she directed her eyes back toward the twinkling sky, glad that the sun was gone so they were semi-shrouded by the dark night.

"I told you…there's something I want…that you should see," she replied somewhat nastily though her eyes appeared far away. "God…you're an impatient person."

"It's midnight. I have a life, incase your pretty little head seems to have forgotten!" He snapped with an air of arrogance. "And, if I may be so bold as to say, Miss Larxene, your sour attitude and complacent mien does everything but make me want to help with your plight!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah…whatever. Don't have a heart attack, crybaby. Anyway…follow me."

Gingerly, he followed her over the edge of the hill that looked like it dropped off into a dark depth of oblivion. He could see the trains going by as he climbed after her, annoyed that his favorite—and almost only pair of—pants were starting to get grass stains. He was still mentally raving about his jeans when he felt something tugging at his shirt. Aghast, he peered up only to realize that his shirt had a rip in the shoulder where a jagged weed-like branch had dug in through the cotton. Furious about his clothes, and the fact that Larxene was already more than halfway down the hill, he wrenched the branch from the feeble mud where its broken root once existed. For a moment he felt a tinge of distress for the plant but vowed to give it a proper send-off for his lack of composure. He hardly ever harmed plants, being the poster-boy for "literal love of nature." With a sigh, Marluxia made his final descent of the hill to where Larxene was tapping her foot and looking utterly annoyed at his distraction; she said nothing about the root in his hand. However, he felt that her look of irritation and disgust said enough to last the night. He made a disgusted noise of his own as he thought about her look. Up ahead, she rolled her eyes as they made their way to the undermost parts of the Traverse Town/Twilight Town Bridge that connected the two polar opposite cities.

Marluxia scrunched his nose at the putrid smells and odors that drifted up from the wet dirt that lay beneath their feet. The stone walls of the bridge looked stained with piss and they could both see some homeless and junkies lined up against its surface in the distance. Suddenly, he felt like they weren't in Twilight Town anymore. '_Traverse Town?_' He thought. '_Why the hell did we just go to come back?'_ Aggravated, he sprinted, as gracefully as possible, towards Larxene only to grab her shoulder and whirl her around. She responded with an automatic punch to his nose, which he blocked deftly, that should have sent him flying. He smirked as her fist stayed connected to his forearm. She narrowed her sea green spheres at this, flashing slight malice.

"What gives, flower?"

"Why, as it seems I must constantly ask you questions, did you have me come to Twilight Town in order to simply cross right back?" He demanded this of her, his blue eyes burning.

"The only way to where we're going is under this bridge, Moogle Bridge. There is no access topside and Xaldin's gang will be waiting for us. Listen, I know where I'm going, what I'm doing and I'd prefer it if you just shut up and followed, understand?"

His eyes turned to immediate slits as he shoved her fist off his forearm, moving with a finesse and strength and speed she hadn't known he possessed. It was only slightly alarming for her to find her back pressed against the rancid wall, her arms stretched straight outwards to their full length with his hands holding them in place. Feeling devious as his cobalt hued eyes burned into her own iridescent pair, Larxene gave a small sigh in response to his threat. Her arms throbbed as he pressed his knuckles closed as his grip tightened on her flesh. Her chest heaved with strange exhilaration that seemed to stem from the rush of his sudden bouts of authority and challenge; the heat building from strange excitement spilled over the top of her tank top. Marluxia watched with odd interest as a bead of sweat slid down the side of her face only to continue its journey down her neck until it ended somewhere between the valley of her breasts. Sucking in a breath, he was surprised to hear Larxene's breath leave her lips, shaky in its wake.

"You…are truly a special young woman, savage as you are," he whispered, lips next to her ear as she breathed on him in return.

The sensations she caused to course through his body were not completely foreign to him, as he was a healthy young male with a healthy sexual appetite long before he'd met Larxene. However, the fact that she was even able to arouse those long dormant feelings—shallow as they may be—was a feat in itself. Not very many people, and not very much of anything for that matter, were able to get past the exterior wall and shell of his outer protective fort. But they way she was looking at him in that moment caused something to stir as their staring match continued, her green eyes steady to his own deep blue pair. They were so close now, too, with his lips just inches from hers and the stillness of her figure seemingly aiding in the queer silence settling over them. Even the heat, which was a direct result of Twilight Town, appeared to add to the atmosphere as Marluxia moved in closer, their noses scant inches apart. The coolness under the drafty bridge could not quell the heat, either, as her eyes slid closed. His did the same as their breath intermingled. '_So close…_' Larxene thought as she felt heat rush to her cheeks; she could almost taste his sweat, the sweet aroma of flowers creeping into her mouth through his along with the scent of eucalyptus. '_He truly is a man of nature,_' she mused quietly as his hands moved from her arms to interlace his bare fingers with her own gloved pair.

She inhaled sharply at this, her chest heaving with adrenaline fueled anticipation as his hair brushed the pale skin of her cheek, his lips traveling slightly down her cheekbone. She felt the white, hot fire course through her veins as his scent, also slightly musky, washed over her senses. Their lips were practically touching when a loud boom resounded from the end of the tunnel.

And just like that, the moment was, seemingly, lost.

Marluxia jerked away as a sigh made its way through his lips, practically silent and utterly disappointed. For her part, Larxene was aggravated beyond all belief as she lay against the wall, staring murderously up at where the loud noise had emanated. Her body was crawling with disappointed expectation as their interlude left her in a state of frustrated arousal. As for Marluxia, the brown haired man was biting dangerously hard on his own tongue from the interruption. How he wanted her, every fiber of his being tingling as he closed his eyes to relive the moment that was shattered. She was digging her own nails so deep into the palm of her hand she thought she might draw blood sooner than later. The silence couldn't reign much longer and Larxene let out a string of almost whispered curses as she made her way back towards their original destination. Just as quiet, Marluxia resumed his pace behind her by more inches than previously left. The tension did not seem to ease no matter how long they walked or how much noise seemed to spring from the dredges of Traverse Town.

They were almost to the end of the overhang they'd been walking towards when she stopped. Marluxia, who had, thankfully, been lagging behind in thought, barely managed to stop a good 3 or 4 feet away. Nevertheless, he could still see the view she was pointing to with her gloved finger, her posture hostile and face pale set stone in the moonlight. He glanced down at what appeared to be a rather large, luxurious mansion clearly located on the outskirts of town and secluded like no other. It was painted a great, bright white with what looked like 7 stories. Each floor was complimented with strange symbols and shining fluorescent lights that seemed to light up anything within a quarter mile radius. Luckily, they were much farther away than that. Larxene remained perfectly still as she stared; Marluxia raised an eyebrow at this, thinking the cautious approach was best.

"So, savage nymph, what is the glorious occasion for this lovely yet irksome view?" He asked with a perfect gentleman voice even though the blood wouldn't seem to quit rushing to his groin for a good few minutes before deciding to re-circulate. She didn't so much as move. "Miss Larxene?"

"Here…this is where it happened. This is where…both our lives changed," she replied, solemn but serious. "My…step-father…that bastard…this is where he changed everything. This is where the birth of Kingdom Hearts Incorporated began, almost 10 years ago." Larxene tried her hardest to keep her cool composure as the blood continued to course through like an endless fire, like electricity lighting her body to new temperatures. The mere presence of Marluxia was enough to drive her crazy as she tried to control her thoughts and focus them on why she had brought him there in the first place. "This place, my old home, is where he started his sadistic, disgusting rise to power, the sick fuck. We…were some of the first pawns, some of the first experiments, Flower man. Demyx wasn't lying. His dad sure as hell was in cahoots with this loathsome piece of shit. I think that maybe, according to what Demyx revealed, that you're family was one of the many "sold" into medical experimentation for my step-father's business to grow, one of the first few at that."

Marluxia felt the color drain from his face at the finishing of her sentence, his eyes widening against their own accord, his composure failing him in her wake though she didn't bother to look at him. '_One of the first few…_' He dug through his memory in order to remember something that might resemble that he and his family had been sold into this hell but could pull nothing from his mind. Jacob had died awfully young but he was sure that it had everything to do with the constant beatings from Lionel. Then, suddenly, he remembered something, a painful memory that shot through to the core of his being. His body shook as he stumbled backwards and managed to grab hold of a tree branch before he fell. Larxene whirled around to face him, truly surprised as she saw him leaning against the tree with a pained expression on his finely chiseled features. She would have rushed to his aid had she been any other person; but being Larxene had its self-inflicted disadvantages. Therefore she stood stone still in her spot as she listened to his heavy breathing. He looked magnificently handsome in the beam of moonlight drifting through the clear sky above, but he also looked pale and wan, not tan and dark as he usually did. Curiosity got the best of her, as always.

"Flower…?"

"I remember…" he trailed as he sighed shakily. He wasn't sure he wanted to actually reveal anything to her, not just yet. Even though they were, technically, working together, he wasn't sure he was going to let her know so much about him. He knew they didn't consider each other friends or trustworthy partners; so he was personally ill-advised to tell her much more. Shaking his head, he stood up straight again and made his way towards her side. She gave him a curious look over but when he said nothing, he shrugged and returned her stare back to the brightly shining mansion with its glimmering 7 floors. He shifted his weight from foot to foot as he awaited the continuation of her story. "Is there…more?"

"Of this place?" She gestured towards the place. "Possibly. I never was allowed past the 1st floor. There may be a basement levels. But I can't be sure myself. I…never wanted to venture down there either." She let out a heavy sigh as Marluxia walked closer to the edge of the ledge, his body tense and his face apprehensive as he looked down with her. Larxene was sure that her own absent-minded response was not satisfying him. Not that she was particularly concerned. However, she did feel as though she had successfully shown him what she felt he needed to see. This is what they needed to take down and he had to see it. "I know you're going to ask me some smart ass question Flower Boy, so let me just spit it out before I don't feel like it." Marluxia gave her a sordid look, his mind seemingly elsewhere. "If you're history is intertwined in this mess, and you're really willing to help me, then you definitely needed to see this. All of it…this is what we're up against. This…disgusting, perverted excuse for a human being…he is who I have to keep away from my…life. I…"

He nodded quietly, his own thoughts drifting in and out of her statements and his memories. It was like a horrible chain of pain, sadness, illusion and ugly truth that he didn't want to remember, ever. "It doesn't, I'm afraid, ever go away. Even after you've dispatched him from earth, or whatever plan you're formulating, unless you can move on…he will never go away." His eyes closed slowly as he tried to heed his own wise advice but failed miserably. '_Who am I kidding? I sound like a cop-out loser who runs…I'm not living up to my namesake,_' he thought as Larxene turned away from the mansion. He could feel her somberness, the discomfort and anger coming off her in thick waves as he brought his attention back to her face, which was slightly hidden by her stance. Yet the moonlight did cast an eerie but beautiful shadow across the pale expanse of her cheekbones and eyes. Her shoulders were not hunched though her posture signified a possible breakdown of tears. '_And who will soothe her? Certainly not myself…unless I fancied ending up without a limb.' _

"We should get back. I suppose you have work tomorrow?" She started making her way back up the hill towards Twilight Town, her eyes scrunched in slight depression. She wanted to give in, oh how she did. But as they came closer and closer to the upward slant of the hill Larxene realized that a single tear had managed to escape. Mortified, she quickly wiped her eye while Marluxia held his face to the dazzling sky above. He didn't appear to have noticed anything as he walked behind her, silent and absorbed in his own thoughts. As Larxene gripped the edge of the brick wall she felt the tears well up even more now that one had already leaked out of her eyelids; she shook her head. '_I can't let them come out, I can't!_' Pushing aside the terrible thoughts of her past, she quickly grabbed onto the nearest tree branch and began to climb. She could hear Marluxia following suit although he was grumbling angrily as they ascended upwards. However, she didn't have time to dwell on it before he was walking away from her, silent and without so much as a goodbye as he headed back towards Traverse Town. She stood to watch him go, hidden behind the pillars of her mansion gate as he vanished into the darkness of the woods surrounding her house. Once he was nothing more than a mere speck in the distance Larxene fell back against the surface of her sanctuary, her home that kept the rest of the world away. The gates were closed now and she could stop pretending. All the lights in the house were out too, signifying that all the other occupants had gone home or were sleeping.

She mumbled angrily to herself as she stared up at the moon as a semi-warm breeze blew past, tickling her skin in the night. Everything she had come to know, all the protective barriers she's erected, all the hard work she did to appear tough had crumbled with one look of him and his damn enchanting sapphire blue eyes. She hit her head against the column as she scolded herself for being so silly, for allowing a man to break her down—again. This time the breaking was immensely different but nonetheless, she felt the anger and despair well up inside her as she realized that Marluxia was nothing like anyone she had ever come in contact with, not in so many years. Sure, her bastard of a step-father was a piece of work as were all associated with him; but Marluxia was, too. It irked her, the strange mystery he held, and the enigma that he was, in general. He had revealed very little in the months he'd been around and Demyx had all but given her better explanation. She knew he had a brother, courtesy of the musician's fear of his friend. Other than the fact that his past was intertwined with her own sick "step" family, she knew nothing more about him. She didn't even know if she wanted to find out more information. Her genuine interest in him might end up becoming a weakness, a hindrance in her grand plans to take down Mr. Sumitse once and for all. She'd been waiting for the perfect opportunity to rid the earth of his foul existence. That the circumstances in which the opportunity was presented were so dire was something that drove her desire to kill him even more.

"Fucking asshole…he's going to die, and I'm going to enjoy killing him," she muttered as she pulled a kunai from his pocket, holding it up to the shining moonlight just as thunder boomed and lightning cracked in the distance. It was almost as if the elements heeded her call as she turned to walk back into the house. She could feel the cellular phone in her pocket buzz madly and she was suddenly annoyed that she'd gone to buy a new one in the first place. 'I should've left the piece of shit broken.' She quickly fished it out of her pocket, with some difficulty due to her pant pockets being so tight, and flipped it open without a second thought. "Hello?"

"Ah, lovely Larxene, what is it that fascinates you so that you come to stare at my abode so late at night?"

She gritted her teeth as her temper flared from 1 to 10 in seconds. "You were spying on me, you sick fuck?"

"But it seems you were spying on me with your little pink-haired friend," he snapped back, his voice holding sinister sarcasm. "I daresay…is he…your boyfriend? I would very much hate to have to…get rid of him. But if you continue to bring him around with you, I will have to do so most emphatically."

"What the fuck are you talking about you crazy bastard?" She hissed as she fell into the shadows of the mansion porch just as a light flickered on from Axel and Roxas' side of the house. "You leave him out of this. He's no one. You've done enough!"

A chuckle followed her outburst and Larxene winced, though he couldn't see. "My, oh my, dearest Larxene…I highly doubt that Marluxia Shimoto is a nobody, as you so delicately put it. In fact, he is…quite a somebody to this company. You know why, I presume. You can play dumb all you'd like. You can try your hardest to catch me, to maim me and the reputation of this company." He laughed again and her insides churned. "But I warn you, only because I care for you so much, dearest girl. If you do anything that goes against my liking I will have all your little friends punished. And Namine…will be ours for the taking. See that you heed this advice."

There was a click that signaled the end of the conversation and Larxene felt her body go slack. '_He…knows…about Marluxia…? Who is…ours?_' She puzzled over this for a minute when the door to the house was slowly opened and she could make out the faint outline of Axel's figure with his arms crossed. "What?"

"You came back awfully late. Tsk-task Larxene. Running off with Flower Boy in the middle of the night could be dangerous. We don't know him that well," Axel said, his face neutral.

"Shut the fuck up," she spat. "I can take care of myself. What the hell are you doing up?"

"I'm getting some fresh air," he replied. "Namine spent most of the night crying. Riku went home. Someone had to take care of her and she doesn't trust too many men right now."

"So what…" Larxene trailed though the sadism in her voice didn't fit, nor did it reach her eyes.

"She needs you, you know," Axel whispered sadly. "When are you going to understand that you're all she has left…and that, truthfully, she's all you have left, too?" Larxene paused at this as she looked at him from the corner of her turquoise eyes, seeing him sigh more than hearing it. "Anyway…Dr. Lockhart called. She needs to meet with you and Namine. If they're going to make this happen for her, you need to be a part of it."

"You deal with it," she answered quickly and without thought. She didn't have time to take care of the logistics. She had bigger fish to fry. When Axel narrowed his eyes, she waved him away. "Listen, as much as I loathe saying this to you…you're…better at that stuff," she said, grudgingly. Axel raised a brow at this, surprised. She shook her head. "I'm not in the mood to fight with you, not tonight, flame boy. We made a deal, and even though I'd like nothing more than to make you suffer and fight…I can't, not right now. I'm helping," she said softly. "The only way I know how. Goodnight."

Axel watched her leave again, her figure disappearing into the forest just as Marluxia' did earlier. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't watching them from the window. It was the only reason he came downstairs. He knew she'd be alone and he needed to tell her the news. Dr. Lockhart and her assisting nurse called after Larxene had left with news about the case. It seemed that Attorney Kosaka had requested a meeting date but they expressed interest in Larxene coming as well. That she wasn't going to would be a major disappointment but he knew that Namine needed to file a police report and he, plus Roxas, would need to accompany her. It was a lot to take in when he hadn't actually informed Namine of anything other than her having an attorney and a case. She'd been curious but he'd asked, more like adamantly demanded, she focus on school and healing. Namine herself had not wanted to see a counselor right away—she said she wasn't ready—but had said she would like to soon. He had looked around for one but hadn't found one he thought was suitable. In a way he had become her immediate caretaker where Larxene seemed incapable. He imagined it had a lot to do with her past that he didn't know that much about. Namine held all the secrets to their past and even though Axel and Roxas had been around for some years, neither of them knew both girls past a surface façade. And the seemingly distorted and fake information both females supplied.

The red-head suspected that Namine's words were more truthful than Larxene's but even then, he wasn't sure exactly what she was hiding. It was clear she was uncomfortable sharing certain parts of their past yet when pressed both females shut down and withdrew. Namine less than Larxene but both all the same. Sighing, he made his way back towards his room where Roxas was slumbering peacefully. As he passed Namine's door he could hear her television set blaring but he was sure she was sleeping and so proceeded into his room where he snuggled up to his boyfriend, trying to forget everything that had transpired. Outside in the forest Larxene wandered around aimlessly as she pondered how her step-father knew so much, how he knew Marluxia's name and that they had been there that night. And she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what he meant by "ours." She now knew that there was definitely more than one person involved aside from his lackeys. Xaldin had proved to be a reasonable threat though she seemed to have a strange immunity to him that she chalked up to his given orders by her bastard step-father. '_And what of the rest of those disgusting perverts who were working with him back then_?' She wondered if they still did work for him, those "doctors" he had sent her to for special examinations and the like. She was pretty sure that they did and she was more than willing, and happy, to take them down as well. '_Dr. Vexen…that wretched excuse for a human being…_' she shivered in detest as the name brought back memories she'd rather have never remembered.

'_And what of Dr. Vexen? I wonder what happened to him._' The grotesque doctor was her "personal" doctors who examined her whenever she and her step-father got into their spats and battles in the past. He had chosen Vexen because the man was one of his top scientists who was conducting the experiments, and happened to be the head scientist of research for the chemicals KH International used. Her step-father had made sure that the confidentiality of Larxene's files was kept due to the heinous nature of how she acted, how he retaliated and how he ended up subduing her. She felt a chill run down her spine at the sickening images of it all, her mind trying to block them out as she suddenly found herself standing on the border, Moogle Bridge, which led to Traverse Town. She didn't understand why she kept ending up in the same place, staring off into the distant lights and hearing the loud shouts of hookers and the like. She knew, just over this bridge, Marluxia was, most likely, working in the café with Xigbar. A sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the bridge rail, thoughtfully looking down towards the cement landing where she'd, only moments ago, almost let the chestnut haired man kiss her. Although the encounter had been anything but romantic she found it extremely exhilarating and his presence full of a teasing nature. It haunted her to the point where she figured it was the reason why, partially, ended up where she currently was at—on the bridge connecting the two towns, connecting their lives.

The truth was that, no matter how she denied it, their lives were intertwined from long ago. Not in the fairytale sort of way—unless medical experimentation and sexual assault could be considered fairytale. She snorted at the thought. But it was true. Their lives were held together by sordid pasts, by atrocities caused by her stepfather and his cronies. She, with scars so deep she wasn't sure how she could ever get rid of them, and one damaged little sister who she couldn't even save. Marluxia, though she knew little, had a story too disturbing to tell her though she couldn't imagine what it was. '_Is it…worse than mine?_' She knew some were; but those people were no more. Hardly any families or their children had survived the experiments let alone the initial testing phase. She felt the bile rise to her throat, threatening to spill out of her, when someone's hand landed on her shoulder. She spun around, thinking it might be the young man she'd been thinking of, but instead came face to face with Demyx. She rolled her eyes as she returned her stare back to the burning fire in the garbage can below. Demyx settled next to her, quiet. Larxene was uncomfortable, to say the least, but didn't quite know how to react as she wasn't quite up to par. The prior conversation with her step-father had left her somewhat drained and stressed though, remarkably, it didn't seem to show to anyone else except Axel.

"Larxene?"

"What the hell is it?" She replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry, really, I am," he said, his voice genuine. Larxene felt her stomach turn over. She hated it when people were emotional. She didn't know how to deal with that. Demyx seemed to sense this as he shifted his weight so that he was now facing the opposite side of the bridge. "How is Mar?"

"How the hell should I know that?" She spat, annoyed. Demyx shot her a withering look, which surprised her. Grumbling in aggravation, she hung over the rail. "He's fine, I guess. Shouldn't you be more concerned? He's your friend."

"Yeah, and I am. But he won't talk to me. You know why." The musician was forlorn as he stared across the bridge. "So, he's been staying in Traverse Town. My phone miraculously appeared in the mail from some address. I looked it up, and it was in Traverse Town. I wish I'd known he was here, so close, this whole time. But now…I can't even go see him. I screwed up. But it was an accident…"

She was tired, her eyes attempting to close though she refused to go to bed just yet. Not knowing what to say to Demyx she simply shrugged and looked the other way. She could see figures in the distance, one she recognized as Sora and the other as Kairi. Sighing again, she grumbled as she saw them coming towards her and Demyx. "We've got company."

The dirty blonde waved as Sora and Kairi came to a stop before them, ice cream in both their hands as they smiled. "Hey Sora, Kairi. What are you doing out here so late?"

"Late? It's only midnight," Sora commented as he gave Larxene's sagging figure a nervous glance. "Larxene, you dead?"

"Can it, hair boy," she snapped.

"Obviously not," Kairi supplied as she giggled, her hand squeezing Sora's. He blushed. "We're getting ice cream, silly. And you, Demyx? Why are you out here so late?"

"I was just on my way to meet Zexion. He gets off work in 10 minutes. I ran into Larxene."

Sora nodded. "And you, Larxene? Why are you out here so late?"

She growled. "I'm trying to figure out how to throw Demyx over this bridge."

Kairi giggled again. "Well, good luck with that, Larxene. Sora, I need to get home or uncle Lexaeus will flip! And then he won't let us go out again!"

The brown haired boy agreed as he leaned over and gave her a kiss. She laughed again as they both waved bye to Demyx and Larxene before disappearing into the distance. Demyx stared after them, wide-eyed. Larxene didn't even bother to look or say goodbye so she continued to stare at the dancing flames of the homeless communal garbage bonfire. The flames danced to and fro, reminding her very much of Axel's hair when he was running around the house during their tiffs. She smiled a little—he was so her type. But he was also flaming, in the gay sense. Demyx interrupted her thoughts as he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, did you know they were going out? When did THAT happen?"

"Why are you still talking to me?" She groaned. "And like I care of hair boy and seashell girl get together. Come on, Demyx! I don't care about that shit! I'm worried about my sister, for fuck's sake!" He gave her an incredulous look before he clapped his hands over his mouth. Larxene felt the heat rush to her face as she realized what she'd just said. But Demyx kept quiet, hands still over his mouth. "Shut up or I'll kill you. This won't happen again. I have to go. You coming for dinner tomorrow?" He nodded, a smile on his face. She shook her head as she sensed the fatigue creeping into her being. "Bye."

"Ok. Goodnight, Larxene." Demyx stood there a few moments later, watching her vanish into the darkness, her wisps of hair bouncing back and forth like lightning. Once she had completely faded from sight he sighed, too, and made his way to Zexion's work. "Now, just to get Mar to talk to me again…"

Ahead, the trek back to the mansion was tiresome and lonely. Only in the moment of seeing Sora and Kairi together did Larxene realize how alone she truly was. In her own house she was alone. Axel and Roxas were always together. Namine seemed to have Riku now though nothing was official. Zexion had Demyx, Sora had Kairi, etc. Even friendship-wise they all had someone: Namine and Roxas; Axel, Demyx and Zexion; Demyx and Marluxia. She paused again as his name popped into her mind. '_I sound desperate_,' she mused as she stopped for a moment. Her readings of The Marquis de Sade had not really taught her anything about friendship and love but more of sex and herself. '_But what about love? I would have to have a heart for that, right?_' She scowled to herself though it was tinged with a sadness that she could feel resonating in her entire body. '_But I don't have one…I'm damaged goods, right? That's what you used to say, isn't it, father?' _The last word was thought with such malice that she managed to break the skin on her palm for the millionth time in her life. As a result of the self-inflicted injuries from her temper, her palms were no longer smooth. They were still pale but scarred with indentations and marks from her masochistic behavior. Whenever she thought of him she hurt herself. '_And I can't stop it…because it…feels good_.' That one thought alone made her lean over the nearest bush and wretch violently. Her whole body shook as she expelled her dinner and much more.

'_I need it to survive…I thrive off of it…I am pain and pleasure wrapped all in one!'_ The tears she'd held back for so long spilled over her eyelids as she cried and wretched over and over into the bushes, not caring if anyone saw though she was sure no one was around. Her skin was cold and clammy in the musty, warm air that blew by, the air that was common in Twilight Town. She was glad she'd rid herself of Demyx's presence. She would've been far too embarrassed had anyone seen her in this state. '_I am pathetic,_' she thought bitterly as she curled into herself, the flickering street lights telling her not a soul was around—the way it had always been.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xigbar watched as Marluxia stomped, though gracefully as ever, into the café, 10 minutes early for his shift. As much as he enjoyed making fun of the young man he found himself refraining as Marluxia pushed passed him without so much as a hello before getting straight to work. Hayner and Olette had busied themselves with their own tasks while Xigbar stood watch at the door—he was really just waiting for Luxord. His one good eye scanned the café, noting a few customers in the late hours. His mind drifted back to the key he'd given the flower loving man. Larxene had accompanied him, which seemed strange, and they had yet to return the key. He knew he'd be in big trouble for giving it to them in the first place but he also knew why they'd needed it. Pretending not to know Larxene's history, as well as Marluxia's, was harder than it had appeared to everyone on the outside. He'd known a lot about both young people; after all, he'd been helping in destroying their lives. '_Funny how I end up here helping Flower back on his feet_,' Xigbar thought. '_It's ironic. I helped ruin him_.' He tried to erase the thoughts as he recalled Luxord coming. '_Speak of the devil…_' he thought as the gambler strode into the café, his piercings glinting in the neon light of the café sign. Xigbar waved.

"Hey! There you are man! Did you bring what I asked?" His previous thoughts drifted into the back of his mind as he focused on the blonde.

"Really, Xigbar, what else would you expect?" Luxord said as he sauntered over to the counter, grinning madly. "This set of cards should be enough to win you even more antique guns than the last time."

"Is it rigged?"

"How insulting," Luxord answered as he doted on his new card deck, his eyes alight with affection. "You know I never rig anything. I just gamble with fate."

"That's what I'm afraid of," the pirate wannabe said. He suddenly got very quiet as he drew Luxord close. "I've seen her. And the boy. Though both are quite grown now."

Luxord felt all the color drain form his face. "Miss…Larxene? You've seen her? When? Where? Xigbar…if this is a joke…"

"As if. I saw her a couple days ago. There's no mistake of their identities. You know why they're here. I gave them the key." Xigbar leaned back to find Marluxia completely occupied with stacking shelves. "Listen…they're going to find out. We need to have a back-up plan."

"That's not really your style," Luxord chuckled though he was slightly put off. "And what of...Sumitse's lackeys? Do they know?"

"I can only assume they've seen the kid. He's been here long enough. This pretending shit is hard, Lux."

The gambler could only look at him with sympathy etched on his face. While he imagined that pretending had to be hard for Xigbar, he had yet to pretend since he hadn't been around. He spent most of his time at the filthy poker joint in Traverse Town, earning his share of rent and the like. He hardly ever ventured outside of the apartment unless it was to meet Xigbar or play poker. He knew that wandering around too much was certain death since they hadn't exactly parted on mutually civil terms from their last boss. Their friend, Xaldin, remained where they'd left. He never had said why he stayed but they, Xigbar and Luxord, had the sneaking suspicion that he was being blackmailed though he never admitted it. He couldn't even remember that last time he'd formally talked to the Whirlwind Lancer, as they referred to him. His uncanny speed that left people in a whirlwind of confusion is what gave him the amusing nickname. They all had one. Xigbar's being the Free shooter as his obsession with guns and the shooting range tended to make him gun-crazy and happy. He wasn't a bad shot either, Luxord admitted. Even he had his own name: The gambler of fate. He earned it when they broke away from the company. He and Xigbar had really gambled with much more than fate, on Luxord's whim. He had gambled with fate many a time before that, too.

"Hey, he's coming!"

Luxord looked up to meet Marluxia's eyes. He was surprised at how the boy had grown to look so much like his mother but nothing like his brother. The young man stared at him, peeved. "Hey. You must be Luxord, this gay man's lover."

The gambler almost spit out his whiskey at the comment. Xigbar laughed. "Quite rude aren't you? And no, we are not…significant others, as you so delicately state, young man. You are?"

"Marluxia," he replied, bored. "Look, I must get back to work. What did you want, you fake ass pirate?"

"That key…it's his. How long are you going to have it?"

"Until I get what I need," Marluxia snapped, rolling his eyes. "Go away. I'm working."

With that said he moved back towards the back. Luxord chuckled as he watched Xigbar shake his head. "He's fierier than his brother ever was."

"He's also more dangerous."

Luxord looked thoughtful. "We will…have to discuss this more later. Talk to me when you come home…whenever that is. You keep such strange hours, my friend. On another note, have you heard from Xaldin or seen him recently?"

Xigbar looked harassed as their friend's name was spoken. "As if. Xaldin steers clear of my shop unless someone causes an altercation. But most people know to not do that unless they wanna end up with holes everywhere in their body!"

Again, the other man shook his head. "You have a problem. I'll be at the apartment."

Xigbar waved as Luxord left before he slumped against the counter again, feeling somewhat disheartened. He'd seen Xaldin plenty of times but that was mainly because he happened to see him patrolling the third district; but he didn't dare go near there. They'd agreed on an unofficial truce once Luxord and Xigbar broke away. Xaldin stayed but Xigbar didn't believe it was to save them; at least it couldn't be the sole reason. Even after Xaldin had stated, firmly, he would continue because he loved it, no one believed him. Sighing, he went back to staring around the café as the crowd had grown a little with Luxord's arrival. In the back, Marluxia tensed. He hadn't exactly eavesdropped on the conversation but he had heard bits and pieces of it as he'd moved around doing his job in the back. And he was overly curious now. But it wasn't exactly his style to just go and drag Xigbar to find out. '_Well, not yet anyway_.' He stopped to think about it, to think about a method on how to get the information from his boss without being seemingly over bearing. '_Perhaps I should consult Larxene as it seems this information pertains to both of us_.' He reached for his phone but realized it was still in Larxene's garbage can from where he'd thrown it earlier when he'd received numerous phone calls from Demyx. '_Shit, shit, shit! I can't afford another phone!'_

Growling, he threw his apron on the counter and began walking towards the entrance. Xigbar gave him a curious look as he continued to the other side of the counter. When the pirate man made to stop him, he snapped. "Not right now, you fake. I need to get my phone. Fire me, and I will make your life painful. I can promise that, you pirate wannabe."

"You're so eloquent, Marly," Xigbar responded back with a chuckle.

He whipped around in annoyance to answer the older man's statement. "My sincerest apologies. I'll remember to keep your displeasure of my speech and articulacy in mind the next time I return to work, sir." Whirling around again he made his way towards the door, but stopped short to yell. "And you're still one horribly stupid fake ass pirate, eye-patch man!"

He could hear Xigbar sputter at the comment but didn't wait for any further reaction as he made his way towards Moogle Bridge. Twilight Town looked sleepy and dreamy in the distance in comparison to its sister, the ugly and grimy Traverse Town. But Marluxia had become quite accustomed to it and, therefore, was always struck at how normal it seemed in comparison to the overly cheery people and atmosphere of Twilight Town. All in all, he thought it suited Demyx well. But not Larxene. Her upbringing didn't seem to resonate with the morals and standards of the dream-like town and he was sure that she was hiding where she was actually raised. He was sure that she was from somewhere like Traverse Town if not that actual town itself. But there was no way he was going to ask her this or else he might end up with some missing limbs, or even his own head. '_No thanks_,' he thought sourly as he continued on his way. He could see the hole in the wall that led to the forest, which hid her large, dilapidated mansion from the rest of the quaint, quiet little town. He couldn't understand why she was living there to begin with, despite the information that he'd been given. However, asking such questions could mean pain and certain death, which he was all but willing to welcome.

Upon arriving, he could see Larxene standing outside her mansion, leaning heavily against one of the many pillars with her fingers around a barely lit cigarette. He figured she had just come out or hadn't gone in at all. It'd only been mere hours since they'd parted and he wondered what she had done in the meantime. Sighing, he made his way towards her. He could see her eyes, cat-like in the dim lighting of her porch light, move with him as he approached. She looked hostile and volatile but made no move to address him or anything else as she inhaled a deep breath of nicotine from the burning death stick.

"I have some information you might like to hear."

She shifted, nonchalant. "Oh? And what might that be, flower boy?"

He dug in his pocket until he touched the rusted key. He knew she'd been there when he'd taken it but wasn't sure she understood its true purpose. Retrieving it, he dangled it in front of her for a moment. She raised an eyebrow in boredom. "Do you know what this is for at all?"

She shook her head. "Not the slightest idea, really. What is the point of this?"

"It's the key from Luxord. Don't tell me you don't remember him."

Her face went from slack to guarded in a matter of seconds as she practically shoved the lit cigarette into his cheek. He caught her arm just in time as he twisted her wrist and the cigarette fell to the floor, going out a couple minutes later. She quivered in anger and surprise as he stared at her, his sapphire eyes grim. "How… do you know Luxord?"

"I don't. He knows me. And if you must know, he's my boss' boyfriend," Marluxia chided as he threw his arm down, pushing her back a little bit with the gesture.

She rubbed her wrist as she peered off into the night sky, her body feeling tingly. "Look…Luxord is most definitely not gay. And how does Luxord know you? He…I haven't seen him in years. At least not for 5 years now."

"How did YOU know him?"

Larxene sighed heavily as she leaned against another pillow. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this." He waited for her explain. "He used to work for us, for my family. He used to be our cook."

"Your cook? That's quite random, actually." The chestnut haired man seemed slightly disbelieving as he turned to lean against a pillar.

"Yeah, well, believe it gay boy," she snapped in utter irritation as she continued to rub her aching wrist. "He used to live with us, before…my parents died. I don't even really know why he left. He made up some bogus excuse I never believed…and now…nevermind. The point is I haven't heard from him or seen him in AT LEAST 5 years. The last time…had to be in that picture frame…the one at Xigbar's, but I didn't know they were friends."

"Contrary to your knowledge, clearly, they are friends." Marluxia looked around for the fallen cigarette before plucking it from the ground and inhaling deeply. "And good ones at that. I'd venture to say they're roommates…and know Xaldin. How come you did not point out the picture when we were at the café?"

"That's impossible!" Larxene was on her guard immediately, kunai drawn as she stuck them so close to Marluxia's face he should've lost an eye. Ignoring his question, she breathed in deep, labored breaths as she watched him calmly inhale again, this time rolling his eyes at her. "Luxord was a good man. He would never have been involved with the likes of Xaldin or my step-father's treachery!"

The brunette laughed bitterly. "I suppose that shows how much you think you know people, am I correct?" Larxene bit her tongue as she saw a glimmer of sadness pass through his sapphire eyes right before he mercilessly crushed the cigarette under his shoe, his body posture hostile. "Look, I hate to burst your pretty little bubble, savage nymph, but I want answers and you and I need to work together, as pleasantly as possible, to get them. Is that understood?"

"I'm not 5 years old you prick," she said venomously. "Talk to me like an adult, you jerk."

"Then talk to me like a lady," he replied airily.

She bristled at the comment as she pushed the kunai closer to his face. He still had yet to appear or become fazed by this as he rolled his eyes, yet again, before shoving them away and turning on his heels to head back towards Traverse Town. She watched him start away, his gait swift and powerful but graceful and elegant as he made his way towards the gate. Just as he was about to round the corner to continue to the concrete wall he whirled around to face her, one finely chiseled brow rising in her direction. Her face felt a little hot as he sent a mischievous smirk her way before beckoning.

"You are coming, yes, Miss Larxene? I don't mean to be rude, but we won't have much time before our sources are, as it's been said, separated." Blanching, she began to move forward as if the beckoning of his fingers pulled her in against her will. Nodding she continued on, stopping right before him to look into his sapphire eyes. His smirk never wavered as he nodded back at her, looking down into her sea green eyes with a mysterious expectation neither one could explain. He suddenly leaned in so close she swore her face was as red as a tomato and hot as hell's fire. He smirked again as a chuckle escaped his lips into her ear. "You'll have to trust me, I'm afraid, Nymph."

She would've stuttered but she managed a low growl. "I trust no one, flower boy."

Another slow, lazy chuckle graced her as he leaned away, this time staring right into her eyes. "Perhaps that was the case before…but you will have to learn to trust me or this shall never end."

Larxene didn't know if she could do that, especially with how little she actually knew about him. "I need collateral."

"What?" He looked incredulous. "Collateral? Like a car? I hate to burst your bubble nymph, but incase you hadn't been informed, I'm…in a less suitable situation than you."

A blink, followed by another roll of her eyes signaled that Larxene was far from finished with her idea about collateral damage on him. "You have to give me something, anything, so that I know you are going to help and not betray me."

"For the love of all things, Nymph! Had it never occurred to you that I wouldn't be here if I wasn't willing to help you? That I'm not leaving?" He appeared to have become rather miffed.

"Look…I know how men are. Who is to say you're not expecting some type of….payment?"

He let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, Savage woman that you are, have our past interludes made you think such ridiculous thoughts?" When she blushed and turned away with a scowl on her face, Marluxia made to pretend such things meant nothing. "Silly woman, I expect nothing from you. We hardly know each other. How could I expect anything from you, other than the hate you harbor for your step-father?"

Though this is what she wanted, the words still stung her as she scoffed; hiding the fact that he had hurt her. But he was right. They hardly knew each other. How could she think he would expect anything from her? '_He's been playing with me the whole time…just like all the others.'_ Disappointment settled inside her as she turned back to him, her perfect sadistic mien in place as she slinked up to him with her indifferent voice. "Yes….how silly of me, gay boy. I forgot you like men…and flowers." He seemed to prickle at this but she kept on her tirade. "I do apologize to you, for making heinously dramatic assumptions about your carnal desires. Perhaps Axel is in luck?"

He grabbed her chin forcefully before taking in her sarcastic expression. It dripped with animosity and distaste, amusement and malice. She made no move to push his hands away, instead smiling wider to show her canines that glinted in the moonlight as it had only been a couple hours since their last interlude. They seemed to keep meeting under these strange circumstances and Marluxia knew he was pushing his luck with her. Her eyebrows had knitted together thought she remained stiff in his hand. Her arms lay lifeless next to her sides, feet planted firmly on the ground as her fists remained open and eyes stared straight into his. He could see the challenge in them as light bounced off her blonde hair, making her appear all the more sinister despite her flawless, innocent face. He knew beneath that exterior lay a killer waiting to break free. She was deception wrapped up into a beautifully, deadly package—one he wanted to tear open, if given the chance. Shoving the feelings back down into the core of his heart, he spun away from her, releasing her chin and slightly throwing her in the process He heard her cough lightly followed by a smug giggle as she brushed his side on her way to pass him.

She turned back again, her sinister grin ever present. "Oh, Marly…is anything the matter?"

'_Yes,_' he mused lightly as he ignored her. '_You, to be quite frank. But I wonder how well you are holding up against me, Savage Nymph. Not many are known to escape the Graceful Assassin_.' He passed her without so much as another word; truly curious about how she was holding up against his tactics. It was true that not many women were able to resist his teasing ways, his flirty nature that left them helpless and lost. But she was managing rather well, or was hiding it like an expert. As before, he had yet to really contend with someone like her, a woman of her caliber, and it frustrated him in ways he was not able to explain to his own mind. He supposed being an enigma had its advantages and setbacks, too. In his case, most were advantages. But after he'd met her and dealt with even the small amount of crazy shit surrounding her, he found that the setbacks were beginning to pile up. He couldn't even begin to understand how she knew about him at all, how ANY of them knew about him—not at first. After he'd eavesdropped on Xigbar and Luxord's conversation he knew that they were connected but he didn't know exactly how deep. Sighing, he listened in boredom as Larxene's steps echoed behind him. It seemed that the only thing they did together was play cat and mouse; he hated it. '_This Graceful Assassin chases no one. What a terrible way to continue this evening_,' he mused bitterly. Behind him, the Savage Nymph was staring, quietly and resolutely, at the stars in the sky. Her expression masked her boredom but he was sure he could feel it rolling off of her in thick waves. Annoyed, he pushed the thoughts from his head as he saw Traverse Town coming into view from the bridge.

'_Here we go again…_' He sighed again. It seemed like the nights were only about to get longer.

* * *

Namine awakened to darkness as the curtains to her room were completely closed. Her eyes were puffy from crying. There was a slight ache to them as she rubbed the last of the grogginess away. All was quiet in the house and she ventured to think that it must have been early morning or late night as she glanced around the room. Her eyes widened as they landed on Riku's slumbering form, laying peacefully on the chase located across from her bed. '_He's…still here?_' Her thoughts drifted off to reasons why he stayed. Like she'd assumed, it couldn't have been that late and thus, if he stayed it would be no big deal in the actual morning. '_But why stay here? I know home isn't super close for him but he could've stayed at Kairi's.'_ His best friend's house was, in fact, much closer and more sensible of a place to stay the night if he was tired. She didn't dare hope that he had stayed because he cared or something of like. Getting her hopes up had never served her or Larxene well in their past. While she had to admit that there must be some thoughtfulness to his not leaving in the middle of the night, which it could very well still be. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes again as she crept out of bed as quietly as possible. She was almost to the door, clad only in her pajamas, when she heard a chuckle. She froze instantly, her heart rate spiking as she heard another chuckle followed by blankets being tossed from the other side of the room.

"Isuki…you sure are loud."

Blushing madly, she tried to shake off the embarrassment. "Oh, Riku, I…sorry to have awakened you."

He smiled though it was tinged with a bit of sleepiness that Namine found attractive on his pale face. Hiding hers she made her way back to the bed, feeling a desperate need to hide from his eyes. Paranoia crept into her veins as she saw him get up and walk towards her before sitting on the bed, though he kept a safe distance at the edge. She pulled the covers up to her chin, successfully hiding herself from his wandering eyes. However, he didn't seem to really be looking anywhere other than her eyes at the moment. Also, he didn't appear to be interested in anything else. She flushed all over as he leaned a little closer, his smile wide but still sleepy. Scooting back, she leaned against her headboard unsure of what to say or do with him in such close proximity.

"Why are you so afraid of me?"

She blanched as she tried to think of how to respond. "I…I'm not afraid of you."

He shrugged. "It sure seems that way. You cower around me, stutter, blush and look away, run, hide behind Roxas…the list really could go on, Namine."

"I'm…I'm sorry. It's just…you intimidate me," she replied so quietly Riku had to strain to hear it. She paused to gage his reaction. When he said nothing she decided to press on though she was terrified and embarrassed beyond all belief. "You're…older and Kairi's best friend and I just…we're so different. I'm boring and you're…" She began to realize what she was saying but couldn't seem to control it. The words just kept tumbling out. "You're just…so popular and I don't know you…and you don't know me." She stopped again when she noticed Riku was giving her an unreadable stare, his eyes narrowed, brow knitted and his lips somewhat quirked. "I'm sorry…that…it doesn't make any sense. I'm sorry, Kosaka."

"So we're back to a last name basis? That sucks," he breathed out as his shoulders slouched and he turned away. "Do you even have any clue why I'm here?"

Her response was immediate as she scrunched the sheet in her hands as she slowly let them fall from her chin. She was afraid of his answer but she knew she had to ask. "No…I don't. But," she glanced up at him as his aquamarine eyes staring straight into her blue-amethyst pair. "I…would, if you don't mind telling me."

He nodded, his face serious as she saw his cheeks turn a light pink. "I find you interesting."

Taken aback and unsure of what he really meant she cocked her head to the side. "You know, Riku…that's really vague." He laughed as he pushed off from the bed to go look out her window. She, too, slowly stepped from the bed once more, making her way over to him but keeping her distance a few feet away, arms close to her chest as she stared at him. He leaned against the window frame, arm over his head while the other one dangled by his side. His hand flexed before he shoved it in his pocket. Against all hope, Namine dared to ask him again. "Why, Riku? Why are you still here? It's late. You should be home. If Larxene knew you were here—"

"She knows. She saw me." He cut her off but never turned to look at her. Somewhat dazed by the quick response, Namine moved a foot closer. She could touch him if she reached out but made no move to, instead opting to stare at him from where she stood. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, he turned to look at her, turquoise eyes blazing. "I'll tell you why I'm here." She didn't move as he came forward to close the inches between them. Yet he made no move to kiss her and she held her breath as he reached out, placing his gloved hand on her head. The gesture was both welcomed and unwelcomed; Namine flinched and Riku smiled sadly. "I'm here…because I want to know you, Namine. I want to know why you flinch, why you cower, why you hide from me. I have to know you. I need to. I'm here because you intrigue me. I'm here because…I like you."

The blush on her cheeks spread everywhere as she stumbled back a little, surprise washing over her as his hands came up to catch her. She was stilled as his hands rested on her arms, steadying her as she stared up at him in shock, her eyes wide and mouth half open as she grasped for words. He chuckled again but made no move to kiss her or hug her. Instead, once he made sure she was steady on her feet he moved his hand to her head once more, rubbing the crown of her head softly as he smiled. She was still too stunned as he led her to her bed before helping her into it and tucking her under the warm quilt. She gazed up at him as he kissed her forehead. As he made his way to the door she seemed to find her voice, however hushed it was, to call out to him.

"Riku!"

He whirled around, a questioning smile on his face. "Yes?"

"Can you…just sit with me?" He gave her a surprised look but proceeded. He came to the edge of the bed, cautious, testing where he could sit and what he should do. He was respecting her. Namine felt her heart skip a beat as he sat at the foot of the bed and she shook her head before moving over to make room for him to sit closer. He appeared to understand this as he slowly moved up towards where she was perched, the covers bunched around her like a protective cocoon that he dared not enter. However, he did crawl up close enough that there was a nice space between their shoulders. She gave him a small, nervous smile as she leaned against the headboard. "Can you…tell me about yourself, Riku? I don't know anything about you."

"Ok," he replied.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When they arrived at Xigbar's café, Larxene has mentioned something about needing a bathroom break before she could continue on with him. Taking it as a golden opportunity to get information out of the pirate, Marluxia quickly strode to the back where his boss was leaning over a pile of paperwork. Taking a quick glance up Xigbar waved at Marluxia's approaching figure. "Oh, so you're back, girly man. What do you want?"

Without wasting any time he grabbed the older man by his collar before dragging him to the back of the care where the trash was located. Throwing him at the wall, Marluxia cornered him, sapphire eyes malicious. Anything less than a glare would have been completely undignified and Xigbar had to curb his surprise at the younger man's show of daring. "What do you know about her?"

Xigbar feigned stupidity. "What the hell are you talking about, flower?"

"Don't play that game with me, pirate. I heard you both earlier." He spat in return. "I'm no idiot, Xiggie. How do you know, Larxene?"

The older man sighed in exasperation. "It doesn't matter. You're not getting anything outta me, girly man. You're asking isn't going to make me cave."

"Who the fuck said I was asking?"

Xigbar laughed. "What the hell makes you think I'd ever be afraid of you? There's no way you'll ever intimidate me or scare me."

Annoyed that his method wasn't working Marluxia sighed in irritation. "Well…what the hell will work with you, then?"

"I doubt anything you'd do could scare me, flower. I've lived through worse stints. You can't even imagine what I've lived through…it would haunt your dreams until death came for you." Marluxia sighed again, this time in aggravation that stemmed from an actual loss for words and such. Sensing this, the gray-haired man clapped him on the shoulder before pushing him inside. "But hey, anything's possible, right? Maybe you should've asked before you bullied, Marlu."

"Don't call me Marlu," he hissed through gritted teeth though he let himself be jostled back inside by his boss. They both were entering the customer area just in time to see Larxene harassing Olette about the way her Irish coffee tasted. Marluxia wanted anything but to be there as he made to avoid her but she had already laid her eyes on them, turquoise orbs blazing as he walked up to them.

"How in the seven levels of hell do we keep ending up here, of all places?" Larxene snapped in annoyance as she glanced around Xigbar's café.

The evening crowd had died down quite a bit since Marluxia's earlier departure and she was sure there would be less people in a few more minutes. Sighing, she ignored the dirty looks the brunette kept shooting her way as he and Xigbar talked. She had called Sora—to the teen's surprise—and asked if he could sneak out to meet them at Xiggie's Café in Traverse Town. He'd been hesitant at first, not really having ever been across the Twilight Town Bridge; but he'd eventually consented under a condition. She'd practically gagged when he asked if he could interview her for a school project. Marluxia had been the one to accept, for her no less, and Sora said he'd be over soon. It was nearing the time the young boy was to arrive and Larxene was counting the minutes until they could get the process moving. The key in her hand, rusted and heavy, had no grooved edges that she could see, which told her it was definitely not used to open anything. If it was truly Luxord's key, then she had an idea what it might have been for after all. A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she continued to listen to the two men next to her speak in hushed whispers. She'd known Luxord since she was 13 or so, and the thought that he had something to do with her Step-father made her want to vomit. She was so deep in thought that she hadn't even realized that Sora was sitting next to her until she heard him.

"I'll have a Paopu Latte with an extra shot of espresso, please."

"It's late for you to be drinking coffee," she said, her voice sarcastic. "Isn't your brother going to kill you?"

"Who cares," came his flippant response as he paid the cashier.

"No need, little man. Coffee's on me." Xigbar gave him a curious look-over. "And you are…?"

"Name is Sora Leonhart. You?"

Xigbar smirked. "Leonhart, huh? Name is Xigbar. You must be Squall's little brother. That guy always has a stick up his ass."

"You're telling me. We're related," Sora muttered as he nursed his drink for a moment before swiveling around to face Larxene and Marluxia, both who were giving him disbelieving looks. "What the hell am I doing here? Larxene…you're the one who called."

"Yeah. Take a look at this key, a good, hard look kid."

Sora stared at the rusted key with mild interest. "Does this key really have anything to do with why you called me? It's rusted and cracked. If you opened a box with it, it'd break!"

Xigbar and Larxene laughed though it was anything but funny. "My step-father has a bizarre tasted for old, antique puzzles and furniture. I'm sure it's a key but not in the literal sense."

"So you place it in a depression or something," he stated. "And that…" It suddenly dawned on him. "That's why you need Leon's access codes. Ah…I don't know guys. I haven't had any luck yet from the last time you asked me to retrieve them, Larxene. The things is…Leon is hardly ever home so getting his bag is hard, if he brings it home at all." Sora bit his lip, seemingly deep in thought as the tension in the room eased. "I would prefer to just ask but he and I are not exactly…close siblings."

Marluxia made a sour face at them mention of sibling, turning his back to them as he asked Olette for a shot of Crown Royal. The pirate wannabe made a face at the order before he returned to his conversation with Larxene, which was hostile to say the least. Sora took the opportunity to learn more about Marluxia. He quickly strode over to the older brunette and sat next to him. "Why can't you look at me?" Not one to beat around the bush, Sora narrowed his eyes as the older man frowned. "I want to know why you can't ever look at me straight. I want to know why you had that pained expression when we first met. Who do I remind you of that you can't look at me?"

The older man simply responded by getting up and walking towards the back of the café. Both Larxene and Xigbar happened not notice this but said nothing as they ignored him. Sora jetted after him, almost mowing Olette down and slipping on a puddle of spilled coffee. He skidded to a halt right before Marluxia slammed the door in his face, lucky enough to grab the handle and throw it open in time to catch Marluxia lighting up a cigarette. Sora made a peeved face at this as the older brunette blew a cloud of smoke straight at him, causing him to cough a bit. Annoyed, Sora waved the cloud out until it had evaporated into the air as he gave Marluxia another narrowed look. Sighing, the older man turned away, briefly, before bringing his sapphire gaze to the younger boy's. Again, the younger boy persisted in finding out why Marluxia was so secretive and guarded when he looked at him, why it pained the older man to even be around him. The night Marluxia and Larxene had crashed at his house Sora knew that something was up. Marluxia had all but recoiled in obviousness as Sora had spoken to them and agreed to help them.

"Why? Just tell me why. I don't know that I should even bother helping you when you haven't been honest. You're a complete stranger asking for MY help, help it seems only I can provide since my brother works for this company. So why don't you come clean?" Sora's eyes were hard but pleading all the same as he stared.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Marluxia smashed the cigarette on the wet ground. "Jacob. You remind me of Jacob."

"Who is Jacob?"

"You mean who WAS Jacob." Tilting his head to the sky, Marluxia leaned back against the wall. "He was my little brother. Now if you're satisfied, I'm not inclined to share anymore."

Sora watched in shock and awe as Marluxia disappeared into the night. Confused but not willing to follow him, he simply stood in his spot until he heard the door open to his left and a voice drift through. He glanced over. "What?"

"I asked if he went for a walk." Xigbar's eye patch was visible even in the dark lighting.

"Oh…yeah, I think so," Sora replied. "Do you think he'll be back?"

Xigbar nodded. "Sure. As if he would leave. He ain't got anywhere else to go, damn flower boy. Now, Sora, was it? You'd better get inside. Larxene and I need to talk to you."

"Okay…" Sora trailed, his eyes drifting back one last time to see Marluxia. The fading figure of the older man told Sora he was just taking a walk. Nevertheless, Sora felt his insides twist uncomfortably as he went back to the café. '_What are you hiding?'_

**:Again, imagine said line break inserted here:**

(I would like to first, and foremost, apologize for the enormous amount of time I spent NOT having this chapter up. Sincerely, I do feel bad. I had a hard time writing it and I hit a few road blocks, writing/idea-wise in this story, as well as other. However, BTSS is my first priority so hopefully this won't happen again; or at least not for THIS long. In this chapter I hope I was able to reveal some more but it was mianly a chapter between Larxene and Marluxia since they are the main characters. Please, let me know what you think. I welcome all criticism, though flames are a less effective form—so keep that in mind. If you have questions please ask. I will answer them to the best of my ability. Thank you for still reading, reviewing, etc. Love you all. Peace out, until next time.)

_Sadistickunais_


	14. Observation

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Um….so I'd like to first, and foremost, apologize for the extremely long delay in regards to this chapter. I kinda fell off the face of the earth and have no real excuse to offer other than writer's block—LAME, right? But, here you are, after such a long wait, for those still following this story at all. There is still boy/boy love, sexual assault, domestic violence, rape, molestation, cutting, drugs abuse, etc. Therefore, the warning completely applies. If you find it offensive or inappropriate, I suggest you stop reading immediately and not blame anything on me or the website. Thank you. Please enjoy (I hope!)**

**Word coding:**

'_Thoughts'_ & **"**Speaking**"**

_Random flashbacks or other stuff _&Everything else

* * *

Observation

Yuffie looked apprehensive as Tifa laid a pile of papers on the table before Sephiroth. His long white hair was pulled back into a semi-sloppy ponytail that made him look young and much less business like than usual. Yuffie tried to hide the blush on her cheeks but it appeared he'd noticed it anyway. He only smiled as he began sifting through the pile of papers; silent and concentrated. Tifa let out a small yawn as she had a strange sense of welcoming comfort to it that neither woman could pinpoint but liked all the same. Even the colors of the room were opposite what one could consider warm—sterile white, harsh black, dark blues—and the dark cherry wood trims and glass table were contrary to the feeling. Nevertheless they both felt at relative ease as they sat in the comfortably soft dinner table chairs. It seemed Sephiroth spared no expense for his surroundings or luxuries, which Tifa could only appreciate. It was true she had a nice apartment with decently priced furnishings though she hardly had the time to appreciate such things as work was a seemingly endless struggle for career and personal life. The conflict led to migraines, frequent bitterness and chronic satisfaction. Yes, Tifa was, seemingly two-faced when it came to her job and personal life. Her rewarding career was just that—very rewarding. It made her personal life—or lack thereof—more tolerable. '_But for how much longer?_' Her train of thought was sent into a head on wreck when Yuffie tapped her shoulder.

"Tifa?" She blinked. "Mr. Kosaka is talking to you."

"Yes…Dr. Lockhart, I see you've made a note about Dr. Vexen." She nodded at this. "I must say, I didn't think it went this deep, nor did I think it was that bad. However, this does complicate a few things. And you haven't spoken to the victim, correct?" Yuffie shook her head vigorously. "Hmmm…we may need to rethink our strategy. Dr. Vexen is…part of a group of old colleagues, shall we say, that weren't…so ethically inclined. To make matters worse they all came from money and have lots of friends on the inside, like Mayor Xehanort."

Tifa looked forlorn all of a sudden, her fingers twitching as she leafed through the paperwork. "New strategy? You mean…go around the system?"

"I'm afraid that may have to happen given the evidence, the offense and the parties involved. This Larxene Isuki, her younger sister, the victim, was visiting here with my brothers yesterday. Suffice it to say Dr. Lockhart, Ms. Kisaragi; I do know the older sister very well by reputation. And now, I have met the young Miss Namine."

"You've seen Namine?" Tifa looked incredulous.

"It seems she's friends with my younger brothers," he replied with nonchalance. "They stopped by to pay a visit here. It seems she is doing okay, for now. I suppose you don't know where to find her. When is Cloud going to take care of all that? I would hate to have to ask my younger brother to bring her here for such selfish purposes."

Letting out a frustrated sigh she slumped on the table in annoyance as Yuffie gave her a questioning look. "Damn him. No, he hasn't. I think he is having some problems with Chief Payne. You really ticked her off, Mr. Kosaka. She's the chief of the FBI—you pushed her buttons."

Sephiroth let out a smile as he pulled out a smooth silver pen and began scribbling on one of the documents. Yuffie didn't know much about the law but she knew what motions looked like. "I suppose, good doctor, we will have to put this motion into action since Cloud is taking his sweet time. Unfortunately, we no longer have that. Since this goes deeper than Dr. Vexen, I'm going to need to have a meeting with Cloud and Chief Payne soon. Dr. Lockhart, is there any way you can arrange this? I must go draw up a lot of paperwork for this matter. Ms. Kisaragi, I would like it if you and Cloud can go visit the victim. Miss Namine needs to fully understand her situation and the dangers involved. If you should need to find her, I have an old address for her. I will have to give it to you tomorrow as it is in my office. You can ask Aerith."

Tifa breathed. Her mind was going a million miles a minute as she took in everything he said; it was spinning. Yuffie looked enthused as she jotted down notes on her notepad in preparation for her task. There was a slight excitement to her scrawling as she awaited more information, eager to the point Tifa thought she'd gag. But the enthusiasm was on a whole other level that Tifa thought was somewhat uncomfortable. With a heavy sigh she picked herself up from the table and began to pace in an aggravating manner. Sephiroth glanced up at her.

"Would you like some tea, Dr. Lockhart?"

She nodded absently. "Oh, yes please."

"Yazoo, please, some tea for the good Doctor," he said.

"Tifa, please," she answered coolly.

A tall, platinum blonde appeared in the doorway, one who looked like a replica of Sephiroth save for the shorter hair, with a tray of teacups and a porcelain teapot. "Good evening. Brother, you have guests," he said calmly. "My name is Yazoo, as my brother has mentioned. To whom do I owe this pleasure?"

"Ah, this is Dr. Lockhart and Ms. Kisaragi; they're working on this case with me." Sephiroth motioned for him to sit with them. "Tell me, Yazoo, do you want to assist me with this care? Isn't Namine a friend of Riku's?"

The young man sipped his tea, interested. "Oh? Yes, we met her just this past afternoon. Quite a sweet girl. It would please me immensely to work on this case. I should accept all the law experience I am offered."

"Why are you offering so much?" Tifa's question made the older Kosaka smile and Yazoo nod in understanding of her question. "I mean…I know Sumitse is a bastard and we all want him to burn...but why so much help? We're not even paying you sir. Am I missing something here?"

"She's a good friend," Yazoo supplied in a straight voice, his eyes firm as his hands poured more tea for them. "I fear, Ms. Lockhart, you doubt the serious nature of our dedication?"

She blanched. "No, not at all. Not by any means. In fact, I'm simply trying to understand your dedication so that I may provide further assistance to all parties involved. Indeed this is an extremely difficult case."

Sephiroth nodded his own agreement. "Yes, it would seem that my younger brother is friends with Miss Isuki. I fear it presents…complications."

"Of what sort?" Yazoo ventured. "I cannot foresee these complications, brother. Riku is simply good friends with the girl. I doubt any complication will arise."

The older silver haired man shook his head again. "I meant more of the other Miss Isuki. Larxene. She is proving to be quite troublesome and less than cooperative."

Yazoo nodded blankly. "I have heard the rumors from Riku himself. It would seem that he visits there quite often."

"Wait just a minute!" Tifa's eyes were narrowed as Yuffie shifted uneasily in her chair. "You're saying you interact with these people on a daily basis?"

"There is somewhat of a mutual connection, yes, but I wouldn't say daily." Yazoo answered. "Riku is good friends with all of them. As my brother has said, we recently met Namine these past couple days. How long he's actually been friends with her is a mystery to the rest of us."

Yuffie coughed to get their attention. "I was wondering…I talked to someone named Axel; he said they were cousins. He mentioned that the older Isuki wouldn't be coming but that he would in her place."

"When did you receive this call?"

She blinked. "Ten minutes ago. He said he's outside."

"Are you serious?" Tifa rose from her seat. "He's the one that brought her to the hospital! They didn't look like cousins to me."

"Regardless, if he's here, then he's willing to talk. Please, let him in right away," Sephiroth said. He sat patiently at the table as he watched Yuffie disappear then, footsteps coming towards them. All—excluding Tifa—we're slightly caught off guard as Axel sauntered in, flame red hair freshly gelled and in full on leather. Sephiroth raised a brow as Yazoo smirked. Axel returned it.

"Well…hello there blondie," he said slyly. "Aren't you looking…tasty this evening."

"Axel, I presume."

The red-head nodded. "Attorney Sephiroth Kosaka. Well…Riku wasn't lying about looks. You certainly are related…but not taken, I hope, because you look absolutely delicious."

"Knock it off; stop acting like a common tart."

All heads turned to see a dirty blonde enter with Yuffie in tow. She chuckled. "This is Roxas Tanako."

"And this idiot is Axel Yamada, my flirt of a boyfriend," Roxas said, rolling his eyes. "But don't worry. He's harmless, really. So Yuffie tells us you needed more information? Sorry, this isn't really Larxene's thing."

"Doesn't she know how important this is?" Tifa could feel the irritation welling up inside her. "This is her sister!"

Axel smirked. "You shouldn't make assumptions, doctor. It could really cost you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Cut it out," Yuffie snapped. "We need to work together, not against each other."

"Ms. Kisaragi is right," Sephiroth interjected with a sigh. "Mr. Yamada, Mr. Tanako, please have a seat. We have much to discuss. I am pleased you could make it and I deeply appreciate it. My regards to the older Isuki girl. Dr. Lockhart, please sit as well. We are pressed on time." He fixed them with a pointed stare as they took their respective seats, Yuffie between Tifa and Roxas while Axel sat further away, playing with his lighter. Yazoo watched the display with mild interest as Sephiroth ignored the dancing flames. The older Kosaka was used to far worse than pyromaniacs on the daily. "As you know, Mr. Yamato, Mr. Tanako, the reason we are facing problems is due to the fact that Namine never filed an initial victims' report. The police are trying to figure their way around it but we've had some…delays. Nevertheless, to progress we need to get your stories, the older and younger Isuki's as well as corroboration from you and Dr. Lockhart about the rape kit that was done at the hospital." Roxas nodded while Axel mumbled in annoyance while shooting Tifa death glares. She shot them right back as Yuffie glared at both of them. Sephiroth felt his own irritation building at their childishness. "I'd really hate to get subpoenas to force the evidence."

Axel slammed his lighter on the table. "Listen, just because you're a big shot lawyer doesn't mean you need to get on your proverbial, lawful high horse!"

"Shut it, Axel." Roxas' voice was like steel daggers. "This is for Namine so shut up and sit down, NOW." Axel whined as he slumped back into his chair while Roxas leaned over, head in his hands. "Where should we start?"

"At the beginning. Anything you provide would be most helpful, Mr. Tanako."

Roxas let out a heavy sigh. "Sir, if I may say, you're asking a lot. The little that we know is probably not going to help at all. But," he scowled at Axel, who was still sulking. "If it will help Namine…we'll do our best."

Sephiroth nodded. "I'm sure you know that their parents were killed in a car accident years ago. After that, both of them were entrusted to the guardian listed on their mother's will…Mr. Sumitse. We're not really sure why his name was on that damned will. Only Larxene can tell you that and I can confidently say she hasn't shared any of that with us, or even Namine herself. We met Larxene when she was almost 18. She ran away, we guess. The mansion belongs to her. It was all that was left to her with a large sum of money. Mr. Sumitse could only, then, lay claim to Namine. When Larxene turned 18, Namine had turned about 12 or 13. We're about 6-8 years apart in age. Sumitse wouldn't relinquish his guardianship of Namine but that hadn't seemed to be a problem before now. He only seemed to have a sick twisted interest in Larxene, but never Namine. She hated living there but he never…had an interest. Larxene's been trying to get her out of there but Sumitse has so much money…he's thwarted her at every chance."

"It's the way he keeps her hostage," Axel spat in disgust. Roxas sighed. "He…won't let her go. But we don't know why. I wish we did but we sure as hell don't."

Sephiroth appeared thoughtful again as he sifted through some more papers while Tifa began to count the minutes till she could choke Axel to high hell. Roxas looked bored and Yuffie began talking to Yazoo about his encounter with Namine earlier that week. All of a sudden Sephiroth stood up, his eyes narrowed. "I know why, and there is no longer a need to meet with Miss Larxene."

Axel blinked and Roxas threw the silver haired man a questioning gaze. "Well…why is it, then?"

"She was assaulted, too, years ago, you'd mentioned on the phone, right Roxas?" Yuffie's soft, small voice interjected. "If that's the case, I'm willing to bet he's holding Namine against Larxene in hopes that she'll return and he can continue with whatever sick relationship he'd created for them. Did Larxene ever mention this was a repeated occurrence?" Roxas doubled over in disgust before jumping out of his chair and running to the bathroom. Axel followed suit, his lighter and hairspray can forgotten at the table. The other occupants stared at Yuffie's sudden revelation of the information. She blanched as she began to utter a response. "It's just that when I was going over her file…if I remember correctly, there were several rape kits done, most incomplete, and they were all signed off on by Dr. Vexen. When Tifa mentioned this…I started digging. I had Cloud subpoena his business records and found some questionable things. Though at first glance it appears he's a legitimate doctor I noticed that he owns a private practice funded my KH International. It seemed awfully suspicious, considering that private practices aren't usually funded by other hospitals. Not to mention that KH International funds no other practices in the medical field. Twilight Town Hospital receives all its money elsewhere. It seemed odd to me."

Tifa gasped. "That's right! There were some major inconsistencies in those files. The pictures were somewhat ghastly!"

"Then it would seem that Cloud has been doing some work after all," Sephiroth mused as he signed another stack of papers while Yazoo filed them into separate manila folders. "This will simply add to the duties I assigned you, Yuffie. But please, if you should have any questions feel free to call the office or Chief Payne. Whether she likes it or not, she cannot refuse questions regarding cases. She's an expert at what she does, no questions asked."

"You sure flatter people," Tifa said, her intent unknown. Sephiroth only smiled at her, which caused a slight blush of annoyance to spread across her cheeks. '_Why do I always feel like he's patronizing me…?'_ Chalking it up to be an overreaction on her part, Tifa simply returned her glance back to Yuffie who was taking more notes on her notepad. She seemed particularly interested in finding out more information about Larxene's background than Namine's. '_Are we doing a case on both of these young women, now?'_ Sighing, she took a sip of her tea, which was now lukewarm thanks to the events that had just transpired. The silence that stretched on as every other individual worked, and Roxas and Axel had yet to return, made Tifa realize just how much she wished she was at home at that very moment. Something made her discover just how little time she spent in the comfort of her apartment, possibly curled up watching television or something of the like.

"Dr. Lockhart, are you feeling well?"

Sephiroth's velvety voice broke her from her reverie as she was brought crashing back to reality. "Oh, yes, I'm fine thank you." She brushed off her momentary lapse of attention by opening her briefcase again. "I also have some information on Namine, though it's not much. Since Cloud hasn't subpoenaed the records and they left no contact information, it's been hard to really learn more about her. Traverse Town is sending us what they have for her but because they're in cahoots with Sumitse, it's taking a while. What other suggestions might you have for me on that one, Mr. Kosaka?"

"At the moment, I would suggest letting Ms. Kisaragi and Strife do some of the "field work" necessary to learning more about the victim, if she's willing to speak. As the doctor, you've done a great deal already. You're Rape kit was superb considering the circumstances. Tell me, did you have any advocates involved?" He looked at her expectantly.

She thought back for a moment. "Oh, yes, I did. There was a woman there…her name was…Rikku Kawashima, a very sweet girl. She couldn't have been more than…Yazoo's age, I believe. She was the Advocate. I never got to speaking to her after she met with Namine. I will give her a call. Better yet, Yuffie!" She called to the girl over her shoulder. Yuffie jumped to attention. "Can you remind me to give Rikku Kawashima a call as soon as possible regarding Namine? I need to speak with her."

"No problem!"

Sephiroth chuckled. "Dr. Lockhart, you truly are the finest Twilight Town has to offer. I must say, I was impressed before but this…it's truly a testament to your finer skills as a doctor."

"You're patronizing me again," she replied.

"Why would I ever do that? I only patronize Strife." He shot her another dazzling smile as she mumbled something under her breath and turned away. "Patronizing is only for those who do not utilize their skills to the best of their abilities. I'm afraid Cloud Strife is one of those people."

"Did you forget we were all friends?"

He chuckled. "Not at all. In fact, if not for my busy schedule, I would suggest we meet more often as I was under the impression that we still are friends, Dr. Lockhart, though you and I spent very little time together. I assume that is why you felt the need to re-introduce yourself at my office."

"Or it could've been the fact that you and I spent about a month together with Aerith and Cloud before you left for Law School. Don't you remember?" He raised a brow. "You were Aerith's best friend; I was Cloud's. And they were friends who decided that we should all meet. We haven't known each other long enough to consider each other friends, Mr. Kosaka." Tifa shot him a glare that could freeze hell but he merely shrugged nonchalantly.

"I suppose that's true. However, I do not forget a face, let alone forget a pretty face."

"Flattery doesn't work on me, Kosaka," She bit back.

"Then, I shall make sure to use more lies in the future, my good Dr. Lockhart," he replied casually, his face betraying no emotion as he handed her a stack of motions. "You would do well to look these over before I submit them. While normally I am not allowed to do this, I will make an exception in this case as it is a matter of some urgency and complexity. Please, have some more tea while I go to my home office and gather more forms for Ms. Kisaragi."

Tifa was about to retort when she heard footsteps. It seemed that Roxas and Axel had reentered the room and the younger boy looked ill. Axel gave her a pointed stare before he set his hands firmly on the table, fingers splayed. His apprehensive look made Tifa uneasy but she stood her ground. "Hey, Doctor…don't suppose we could see that file of Larxene's, could we?"

She looked guarded, cautious almost. "I suppose…but why, if I may ask?"

Axel's voice dropped to a whisper. "Because…"

"She's our friend, Dr. Lockhart," interjected Roxas softly, his face wan but eyes vibrantly determined. "What more do you need to know? We care about her, no matter what. If you don't mind…the file, please."

Slowly, and somewhat grudgingly, she slid the file over to Roxas' awaiting hands. Axel seemed stuck, not moving with his eyes focused on the glossed table. It was as if time stopped while the two young men opened the manila folder to examine the photos inside. Then it seemed to fast forward as Roxas covered his mouth and, once again, darted in the direction of the Kosaka's bathroom. Seconds later she could hear retching while Axel continued to flip through the pictures, his mien growing more and more disgusted with each one he saw. Tifa could hear Yuffie talking Roxas through it in the bathroom as Yazoo resurfaced with another stack of papers. Her mind was going a million miles a minute as she watched everything happen. She was interrupted when the file was slid back to her, albeit sloppily and with contempt.

"Yo, doc, mind if we…do some digging of our own?"

"Excuse me? Doc?" Axel merely grinned—all teeth. She blinked in irritation but proceeded to answer their questions. "Your own…digging? For what? Evidence?"

"Not exactly."

"There's no need to ask though I suggest you use ethical methods to retrieve this evidence, or whatever it may be," Sephiroth replied, never once looking up from his papers. "The good Dr. Lockhart has plenty on her plate. Speaking to the Advocate present at Namine's exam is important. Tell me…was there a Police Officer? I know you were the forensic Nurse, Dr. Lockhart, one of the few who is also a doctor. But most exams are not done without the Police contacting the answering service."

Tifa shook her head. "No, which surprises me as well. I'm not sure how it fell through the cracks like it did; either way, that's why we needed Cloud to do a report. It's why we thought you might not take the case, Mr. Kosaka. When I received the call it was a police officer on the other end. Said her name was…Officer Heartly."

"Heartly…where have I heard that name before?" All eyes turned to Yuffie, who was rubbing Roxas' back as they made their way back to the table. "What?"

"Where've you heard her name before, Yuffie?" Tifa eyes were hard. "Because I believe I have as well."

"I think she used to work with the Traverse Town police but uh…she may have transferred to Twilight Town some years back. I can't be sure. At least we know she's not in cahoots with Mr. Sumitse. Otherwise, I'm sure she would've been on Larxene's paperwork and there is no police officers working for him, as far as I know."

"He has cronies. No need for the Police department to be helping him or for him to have them in his pockets…he probably owns them…or owns they're chief, at least." Axel spat. "Either way…he has his own personal hospital, police, lab, etc. He has no need to blackmail anyone except those who have tried to leave his employment. Or…Larxene has mentioned as much in the past."

Tifa looked perplexed at the provided information, her eyebrows rising slightly at this. "Well…perhaps we should inquire as to the whereabouts of this Officer Heartly and see what she knows."

"Excellent idea, Dr. Lockhart. Perhaps we should have Cloud do that instead, since everything else seems to be beyond his comprehension and capacity at this very moment," Sephiroth interjected firmly while turning to his younger brother. "Yazoo, please see to it that these people get everything they need to accomplish their assigned tasks. Make sure Aerith has all this information tomorrow morning so it will all run smoothly."

Yazoo nodded, jotting down notes on a steno notebook before reaching for his cellular phone and dialing a number. Tifa's curiosity was answered when the person on the other end answered the phone. "Good evening Aerith. Yes, I know it's late. You're with Mr. Strife? Hmm…yes, it's about the case." There was a pause and he appeared to be waiting for something. She continued to stare. "Uh huh…sure. Just let me know when you're alone."

"Is he nuts?" She turned to the older Kosaka. "It's past midnight and he's calling Aerith…for work?" She looked positively incredulous as she gestured to the younger man. "Isn't this against the law, Kosaka? You can't just harass your receptionist whenever you feel like it!"

"Petulance doesn't suit you," he replied calmly. "Aerith and I have spoken about this particular case and she knows she's on call, which is why, you may have noticed, she is not cursing me to high hell. I believe she and Strife discussed it as well. Please do not be alarmed, Dr. Lockhart."

Tifa stiffened, her cheeks flushing scarlet with murderous rage as she heard Yuffie's soft giggle from her right. The young nurse was still comforting Roxas, who looked green, during the whole exchange. Suddenly, Tifa felt like a downright fool. She hated being made fun of, especially when she knew she was being ridiculous. It was a slap to the face despite the fact that she was being juvenile. Sighing, she simply ignored him and left the room, cellular in hand. Meanwhile, Yuffie returned to the table to speak more with Sephiroth. Axel and Roxas gave a slightly quick goodbye before departing. As they passed Tifa on the way out, Axel threw her a withering look. She shot it back with equal fervor before Roxas yanked his hand and they disappeared into the darkened night.

* * *

Sora was utterly bored and equally confused as Larxene and Xigbar bickered over the rusted key. Apparently, they were waiting for someone named Luxord to come and help. Whenever his name was mentioned Larxene looked ill; but Sora knew better than to inquire. In the meantime he sat there, tired and on his 4th Paopu Latte while the girl behind the counter, Olette, stared at him. It was making him especially uncomfortable since he thought she was interested and he'd only just asked Kairi out. Either way, he was seriously beginning to rethink his agreement to come and speak with the crazy woman sitting next to him when she suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt. Surprised, he flailed unceremoniously as he was dragged across the floor, stumbling the entire time, until they came to an abrupt halt by the entrance.

"Hey, what the hell is the big idea, Larxene?" Sora looked harassed and cranky.

She pointed to the man standing in the doorway behind her though her face looked as though it had turned an interesting shade of yellow and green, like she was sickened or something. "Luxord."

He blinked with mild interest. "Yeah…so what? And…?"

"He needs to talk to you about the key…and your brother," Xigbar answered with the most serious face he'd worn all night.

Sora looked perplexed. "My…brother? But why?" He glanced from Xigbar, Larxene then to the man named Luxord. "Wait…just what the hell is going on? How do you know my brother?"

"He works for my step-father's company. You do know you're brother is one of the top technicians there, right?" Larxene's voice was biting and full of venom though who it was directed towards, Sora wasn't sure. He only knew it wasn't him. "He's the one who keeps the systems in check so no one can break the firewalls, security codes, etc. Come on, hair boy…don't tell me you didn't know your brother's profession at all."

The brunette haired boy gaped like a fish. '_All this time…I had…I had no idea what Leon did for a living. If he's so important…why aren't we living in a better house? Why are we so…poor?_' While all this swirled around the younger boy's head Larxene had taken it upon herself to leave, Luxord and Xigbar sticking around to stare at the boy. Sora felt his face grow hot with anger and feelings of betrayal when he realized what was happening. It didn't take a genius to figure out that his brother was being blackmailed. '_And that…this asshole boss of my brother's probably has my parents in his pocket…or worse._' He felt like punching something but held the urge in as he sighed, trying to release some tension from his aching muscles as he fell back on the nearest chair, defeated. Shaking his head, the brown-haired boy turned to look to the right where Olette had spilled latte on herself as a result of Larxene's persistent demands that her coffee wasn't scorching hot. Disgusted, he brought his attention back to the two men towering above his tired form.

"So…I guess…the conspiracy didn't end with Marluxia's family, did it?"

Luxord nodded. "You look a lot like your brother. And kind of like the boy."

Sora sighed again. "You mean Marluxia, right? Well…we're not brothers. I may have looked like Jacob but I'm most definitely Leon's little brother." He glanced around. "Can someone…please explain to me what is going on, in depth? I have a right to know what this bastard is doing to my family. We've been torn apart…I deserve a better explanation."

"You know what he did to Namine," Larxene offered. "It only gets worse. You sure you want to hear everything, hair boy?"

"Stop calling me that," he replied, harassed. "Even if I'm not ready...I need to know."

His blonde counterpart appeared as though she'd rather have disappeared into oblivion at the request to explain further details. Luckily for her she didn't have a chance to offer such when Luxord cut in, his fingers rubbing his chin. "Larxene may not be apt to share. But I do…remember quite a bit. Miss Larxene…would you care to walk away now or later?"

"You're a scumbag for working with him behind my parents' back!" She spat before storming off, wisps of blonde hair dancing wildly behind her.

"What's her problem? Am I missing something?" the young brunette inquired as he stared at Xigbar and Luxord. "You worked for her parents?"

"Yes…once, long ago, I was a master cook."

Xigbar rolled his eyes as Sora gave Luxord a blank look, scratching his head incredulously. "Um…seriously? You don't look like a chef, man." Luxord nodded in agreement. "Okay…whatever. So you were saying, Master Chef?"

Luxord would've chuckled had the explanation following been all fun and laughs; instead he sighed. "Yes…I was once a Master Chef for the prestigious Isuki Family. I lived with them, cooked their meals and served them for quite some years. Of course…I didn't, at the time, know that such a gamble of my finer talents would be used to…destroy the lives of four people I had come to appreciate for my employment."

"As if. They didn't even employ you, remember? That was all an arrangement made by Sumitse with…what was her name…" Xigbar looked pensive after he'd interrupted his friend. Luxord didn't seem that bothered even as the pirate wannabe attempted to remember some woman's name that Sora couldn't even begin to guess. "Her name was…shit; man…what the hell was her name?"

"It was Cora, you prick!" Larxene spat, causing Sora to jump from his seat as she'd reappeared from nowhere, it seemed. "Just get on with it. I don't even know why I'm listening to this crap. I already know the whole damn story."

"You don't know mine, Miss Larxene," Luxord soothed as he continued. "Yes…Cora hired me to cook for her family as the referral of Mr. Sumitse, my…other employer at the time. However…none of us counted on what happened next. Yes…the plan was for Mr. Sumitse to have Cora—the woman practically threw herself at him every time we had a meeting for the firm. They began to have relations that were rather unscrupulous considering she was married to Phillip and Mr. Sumitse and he were best friends. Phillip began working at the Law Firm not too long after they got back in touch. At that point Cora and my boss were already sleeping together. But now with her husband and my boss working together, this was a lot easier of a task then it had been before."

Sora looked disgusted while Larxene looked paler than a sheet, her eyebrows knitted together so tightly the brunette thought they could've been sewn at the edges. He wanted to offer her some comfort, as the current discussion was, obviously, making her ill. But he wasn't sure what he could do since the woman next to him was so abrasive he might lose a finger should he say a word. Across from him Xigbar still looked pensive though he looked as disturbed as he could possibly be, though not at all surprised. Luxord was shaking his head as he started to speak again, once again catching the young man's attention, Larxene momentarily forgotten.

"At first I thought that now, with his position secured within the Isuki family, Sumitse would continue sleeping with Phillip's wife and I would continue to pretend I was there merely for that other connection should Phillip fail to stay involved with the firm. However…as time progressed I noticed Cora's increasingly sour mood, which, at the time, I attributed to her discontent with her husband and Miss Larxene's sudden bout of rebellion. Though later it became apparent that Cora's mood was in direct involvement with Sumitse's lack of interest in her over time. It seemed he was interested in something else, someone else, which I could not picture." He suddenly glanced over to Larxene; she'd gone completely rigid and looked like she was going to faint. He proceeded as cautiously as possible, all the while keeping an eye on her, gauging her reaction. "After about a year it became apparent to me—and no one else it seemed—where Sumitse's interest now lay. It seemed he…had taken a rather perverted and twisted interest in…another Isuki."

"I'm outta here," Larxene said quietly before storming out of the café, her steps harsh but posture anything but angry.

Concerned, Sora made to run after her when Xigbar caught his arm. "The story ain't done, little man."

Furious, the brunette yanked his arm away. "Fuck off, pirate wannabe! I'm going after her. I need to see how she's doing!"

"After I tell you this last piece…I fear you'll know exactly how she's doing," Luxord replied calmly, though not without remorse and shame etched all over his face. Sora stopped dead in his tracks, staring and waiting. "Sumitse had taken in interest in…Young Miss Larxene, who, back then, could not have been more than 15 or 16 years old."

True disgust and hate coursed its way through his system but Sora had no time to dwell on it as he turned and darted out the café door, shouting the whole time. "Larxene! Larxene, where are you? Larxene!"

Back inside, Luxord stood silently next to Xigbar, who looked more tired than he ever had. They would've continued to sit in that silence, shamed and regretful had they not heard the gasp behind them. Luxord remained calm-faced even after Marluxia grabbed him by his shirt collar, anger evident in those endless blue spheres. "Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you do anything? You just let him tear apart her family, my family! You just let him commit atrocities while you picked up a fuckin paycheck!"

Xigbar shook his head. "As if, flower boy. We did everything we could. I lost my best friend as a result. You're not the only one hurting here. We've all lost someone or something when it comes to Sumitse."

"But my brother…"

Luxord sighed. "I cannot bring Jacob back to you, Marluxia. All I can do is offer you, Sora, and Miss Larxene my condolences and a way to stop Sumitse." Xigbar looked anxious. "We owe it to them, and to our friend, Xigbar." He turned back to Marluxia's enraged but shocked form. "You need to go and find them. We have a lot of plans to discuss and there is much more to reveal to you about Jacob and your father, but in time."

"I'm not a messenger," Marluxia spat, not sure which emotion to let take over. He had always prided himself on being cool, rational, and logical. But after what he'd just heard and witnessed, as well as realizing that Jacob's death was no accident, he wasn't sure whether to follow his raging emotions or his logic. Hew knew where both paths could lead should he choose one or the other; but how was he going to follow both right at this moment? Sighing, he slammed fist into Luxord's chest, sending him flying backwards into a table. Xigbar jumped up but the young man stopped him from getting too crazy. "I'm going to get the crazy witch and the boy. Don't ask me to be level-headed or you'll be sorry." With that said he walked out to find Larxene and Sora, his mind anything but calm, heart racing as he searched for them. He ignored the noises behind him, peeved that Luxord was laughing and Xigbar was chuckling. He didn't find any part of the situation remotely funny. He wanted nothing more than to cut something in half, or maim somebody. He hadn't walked very far when he found Sora standing in the middle of the Second district looking beyond lost and confused. '_Probably doesn't know anything about this place_,' the older man mused. "Hey, kid…you looking for that crazy witch?"

"She's not crazy. She's in pain!" Sora shot back, his eyebrows narrowed. "Have you seen her?"

"No, but I propose we should look together. Perhaps we can get more accomplished."

"Why do you talk so…old world?" Sora inquired, arms hanging at his side in genuine wonderment. "I mean…we don't live in the Victorian ages. You can cut the act already. Or is that how you actually speak?"

Offended, Marluxia huffed. "I don't see why how I talk is of any importance. Shouldn't you be more concerned with your friend?"

"She's not my friend…but…" he looked in the opposite direction. "Roxas and Namine would kill me if I didn't find out what happened to her. She's all Namine's got left of a family."

"Then I advise we start looking and fast. She's quick, isn't she?" Sora nodded at Marluxia's observation. "I think I may know where she went. Follow me."

* * *

Larxene held her stomach, wanting nothing more than to expel all the Irish Coffees she's just drank. All the memories had come flooding back like a river breaking a steel damn, when she'd sat to listen to Luxord. She'd know from the very beginning that this was a foolish endeavor; heart breaking memories only led to one thing, in her experience. She quivered in fear and disgust, ignoring the prostitutes walking around as she ran to the nearest bush and heaved her coffee into the dirt. She didn't care who saw her or heard. In Traverse Town she was a nobody; just like she was everywhere she went. Tears made their way to the brims of her tired eyelids as she attempted to hold them back but did not succeed. For the second time Larxene felt like her world was falling apart. Ever since Marluxia had shown up everything in her past had unraveled unceremoniously right before her eyes. She hadn't been able to stop it so she figured she'd stop fighting it. But the repercussions of trying to remain so nonchalant had threatened to become her undoing and so far, she'd been losing. With the memories and images flooding back through that broken damn, she'd been able to control nothing. Fear had slithered its way back into her bloodstream, hate invading her every cell. She'd know she'd never quite let go of the past—all she wanted was revenge for the last few years—but she had thought that, at least, she'd come to terms with her situation and how to live with it.

'_But then he had to come…and ruin everything…_' she mused bitterly as she listened to the catcalls and whistles of the women around her. She heard footsteps approaching but no longer cared. She'd deal with the person if he or she happened to stop next to her. Her mind was still focused on the fact that she had just vomited in the bushes for the second time that week when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Petrified, though she wouldn't admit it, Larxene threw a blind punch backwards towards her assailant. When she felt someone's fist curl around hers she automatically knew who it was, and she hated him all the more. "What do you want, Flower?" Her voice was hoarse, harsh and broken.

Marluxia sighed, Sora standing uncertainly behind him and shifting from foot to foot. The chestnut haired man had never heard someone so torn in his life, not even himself, and he reached out to pull her from the bushes with extreme caution. She didn't seem to have any fight in her as she allowed him to bring her out from her hiding place. When he turned her around she didn't look down, instead glaring at him with defiantly distant eyes, which were red-rimmed. He wanted to reel back in sickness at the stench floating up from behind her, and the obvious gleam of wetness trailing down her lips and chin. He didn't need to ask if she'd thrown up as the evidence was in the air and all over the lower half of her face. He didn't have time to question her or make general inquiries when she roughly shoved him away, her head whipping to the side to face Sora. The younger boy stepped towards her from behind the older man, his eyes determined despite his fear of the crazed looking woman he was supposed to be looking out for, even if indirectly. She glared at him, too, her eyes hard and unforgiving. But this did not seem to deter Sora in the least, Marluxia noted as he observed the scene unfold. The young boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, crisp and white with the name "Kairi" embroidered on it, before extending it to Larxene. She stared at it incredulously before taking it gently—unusual for her, they both thought—and wiped her face. She nodded silently to him before handing it back, her own quiet thanks.

"Leonhart…?"

"Consider it done." Sora gave her a small nod, no other words needed as he waved goodnight to them.

"That kid sure is something else," Marluxia interjected after the disappearing figure of the boy that reminded him so much of his brother. When she said nothing he brought his attention back to her. "They're offering us a way to fix all of this, nymph. Are you going to wallow in self-pity or are you going to help?"

Standing up, still silent, Larxene began walking in the direction of Twilight Town. Marluxia was about to protest when she stopped, abruptly looking him dead in the eye. "You know…at first I thought I hated you because I thought you were pathetic. But now I know the real reason why." He raised a brow. "I hate you because…you're my mirror image and you're full of self-pity more than I could ever be."

With that said she was gone, her figure, too, vanishing into the distance and leaving him all alone in the midst of hookers, pimps and ladies of the night. Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. He wouldn't call it an epiphany but now, in that instant, he knew why he was so full of distaste himself, of why he couldn't stand the likes of her. He, too, was looking into a mirror image of emotions every time he saw her. They were so similar—prideful, hateful, reclusive, hurtful, angry, depressed, abandoned. He was bitter and vengeful and twisted just like her.

"Ironic, isn't it, how much alike you two really are? And yet you spend all your time hating her, don't you?" Marluxia ignored the voice, wanting Luxord to disappear into a ditch. He hated being wrong, and more than that, he hated being wrong in front of complete strangers. "You don't remember any part of your past, do you?"

Shaking his head, the graceful assassin looked at the gambler of fate. "I remember laboratories…and Jacob's cries. I remember walking down the halls of a hospital, white walls and sterility everywhere. I remember kids shouting and crying, screaming…and I remember walking past a room where a girl was shouting at a man in a business suit. I remember there being another girl with them, and they both looked..." His head hurt suddenly. "What is happening to me? Damn it…"

"You're remembering the suppressed memories," Luxord answered. "You're remembering the visits to KH International's specialized testing labs. You weren't that young when Jacob was being tested. Those two girls were, very likely, Larxene and Namine. They used to be there rarely but they had gone a few times, Sumitse's request."

"How were these memories suppressed?" Marluxia looked enraged.

"A special solution that Sumitse carried for those families whose children did not survive. Unless triggered by something…those families will not ever remember they had children to begin with, I'm afraid. You may very well not remember a great deal of what happened. The only reason you remember Jacob dying is because it happened before your very eyes but you did say you can't remember how or why, right?" Marluxia nodded. "Another one of the twisted wonders of medical experimentation, I suppose."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

Luxord sighed. "By the time I realized what was really going on it was too late. He had already driven Cora and Phillip to their deaths. He'd had me fired and blackmailed my two friends—threatened to kill us, really, if we ever said anything." The blonde man gave the brunette a warning look. "Leaving the Company usually means suicide. How Xigbar and I managed to do it was remarkable but…it came at a price—Xaldin stayed so we could leave. It's the price we all paid for our naïve stupidity. Greed kills, boy. As a true gambler of fate, I've witnessed it time and time again. I cannot change the past, nor can you. But, as I said before, I can offer you a way to correct those mistakes and provide a better future."

"You sound like you're writing a sappy story with a happy ending," Xigbar cut in. Marluxia shrugged his acknowledgment. "It won't be easy. Sumitse isn't like a comic book villain. He's dangerous. He'll kill you if you get in the way of what he desires. And for as long as all of us have known him and worked for him…even we don't know what he really wants."

Marluxia looked into the direction of Twilight Town, eyes narrowed. "I think I know."

Meanwhile, Larxene was at the end of Moogle Bridge; now safely back in Twilight Town where it was as if everything that just occurred at the Café in Traverse Town had never happened. The dreamy feel of the town remained and, despite the very late hour, there were still couples wandering around in the warm early morning air. She could see the tram running and knew that it would soon pass the never fixed hole in the wall that led to her "creepy" mansion that no one ever bothered to go near anymore. Her mouth felt gross from the vomit and her body ached in exhaustion. Mentally, Larxene had felt a wreck like now only once before in her life. She wanted to disappear so badly in that moment, her tired body barely realizing that she'd been walking her way back home. Sure, she could've hopped on the last tram but she didn't want people staring at her. As it was, since she was hardly ever seen to begin with and people always stared at her like she was an alien, especially in her heavy black coat, which made sense since Twilight Town was hardly ever cold. Annoyed at the feeling inside of her Larxene paused for a minute outside the opening to her home. The trees seemed peaceful, quiet whispers rushing around the breeze as she started the trek up to her mansion. She didn't need much of sign to know that Axel was, more likely than not, standing at the top of the hill by the black, wrought-iron gated entrance. Sure enough, there he was in all his flaming glory, flicking his lighter back and forth with Roxas planted wearily at his side.

She didn't feel like an interrogation tonight, of all nights. But she already knew better than to expect Axel to let her enter without even a biting comment to follow. She began walking past him when he stuck out his hand to stop her, though he didn't actually touch her. "Yo."

"What the fuck do you want, flame boy?"

"I spoke to Attorney Kosaka for you. This goes a lot deeper than I thought. You've been hiding important information from me, girlie," Axel replied, his voice low and tense. "It's time to stop fuckin runnin, Larxene. It's time to grow up."

"Bite me, faggot," she spit back though the malice in her tone was heavily lacking. Sighing, she shrugged. "Nothing's gonna change. Just leave the past where it should stay, got it?"

"Not this time, lightening bug," he answered, his eyes ablaze and face in a snarl. "Your little façade ends tonight. Cut the bullshit. We need to talk. About your…medical files from Traverse Town Hospital."

Larxene paled again, her mouth opening and closing with no words coming out. True surprise washed over her unusually harsh mien and she'd suddenly felt rather discouraged—she hated her life. Falling to her knees in utter fright, she couldn't stop the tears from falling as she hugged herself. '_I worked so hard for this…damn it, I worked so hard to never crack!_' Despair began to leak through her system like a curse; she couldn't even look Axel in the eye, or Roxas. She'd felt beyond pathetic but a large part of her no longer cared. The entire day had wrecked her carefully built fortress, and the walls were crumbling under the heavy weight of her pretending. Although she knew it was time to stop running, time to stop hiding from her past, she couldn't seem to let go of the protective barrier she'd constructed. As the tears continued to fall, Larxene felt her world growing bleaker and bleaker. '_Oh god…why is this happening to me?_'

TBC...

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(Wow…I can't believe Chapter 14 is now complete. Weird how someone can just fall off the face of the earth. Eh. Anyhow…still having some trouble making this move along but hopefully it won't be for too long. I know _**Canvas of Imperfection **_seemed to take priority but I've already hit a nice writer's block there as well. Anyhow…Please, let me know what you think. I welcome all criticism, though flames are a less effective form—so keep that in mind. If you have questions please ask. I will answer them to the best of my ability. Thank you for still reading, reviewing, etc. Love you all. Peace out, until next time.)

_Sadistickunais_


	15. Terror

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Um…I have nothing to say really. No excuses, no reason cause they'd sound like excuses. Nada, Zip, Nill. Apologies…if you're still reading, hope you enjoy it somewhat. Thanks.**

**Word coding:**

'_Thoughts'_ & **"**Speaking**"**

_Random flashbacks or other stuff _& Everything else

* * *

**Terror**

_Marluxia breathed in a heavy, shocked breath when the bat crashed down next to his head and he saw his father had been sent flying sideways into the glass closet doors by the blurred figure of his mother. Delaney had pushed the batterer away in time or else her son's head would've been bashed in and he'd be dead. Sobbing, she backed away as Lionel tried to recollect himself with his surroundings, the shattered glass glimmering in the dim lighting. Jacob had finally come back to consciousness and was hiding in the corner, tears trailing down his cheeks as his mother went to shield him with her body. Having realized his dad was still disoriented, the young man jumped into action again, grabbing the bat and bringing it down hard on his dad's shoulder. Lionel fell back howling in pain as the solid wood connected with his bones. He raised his hands to shield himself as Marluxia brought the bat down again, this time successfully breaking his dad's wrist. Delaney and Jacob watched in horror as Lionel cowered again, backing away as quickly and painlessly as possible from his older son as the young man advanced on him, menacingly. He wanted to kill his father but didn't know that he was capable of such actions no matter how much he wanted to do it. He could hear his brother crying loudly now and Delaney pleading that he stop. He felt irritation well up inside him, most directed at his mother but he knew, deep down, he couldn't truly blame her. _

"_Mom, shut up, and stop telling me to spare his sorry ass," Marluxia said firmly._

"_Marluxia…please…that's not why…" she replied brokenly. He was tense but she kept speaking. "I don't…please…don't be like your father. Let him go."_

_The young brunette stared into the sapphire eyes of his abusive father, eyes that were very much the same as his own, eyes that he'd been given by this man who was tearing their family apart. Disgusted, he raised the bat again, this time addressing his father. "Get out. If you ever show your face here again I will kill you." Without another word Lionel stood and ran out the door, the slam the only sign he'd left. Defeated, Marluxia's shoulders sagged as the tension left his battered figure and all the aches and pain flowed into him. Breathing harshly from his broken rib, bloodied lip and bruised face, he fell on the bed, exhausted. Delaney ran up to him immediately, Jacob behind her. Sighing, he allowed his mom to cradle his aching head while Jacob ran to get a washcloth to clean his brother's face. He felt unconsciousness gripping him but struggled to stay awake long enough to look into his mom's green eyes—she was the only one who had green eyes. "Mom." She tried to make him quiet down but he continued. "Mom…I don't want to be like dad…never. I'm sorry for letting him hurt us so much." He didn't understand why she began to cry so hard at this statement but didn't have time to ponder it much when the fatigue and overwhelming pain overtook him. _

_Once he'd gone unconscious Delaney allowed Jacob to wipe the caked blood from his older brother's lip. The little boy was quite efficient and prepared for anything, which Delaney attributed to the years of abuse they'd all suffered at the hands of her husband. He was applying a muscle relaxant to his brother's ribs when Delaney stopped him, suddenly. She brought her hands to his face as Marluxia slept on, head still in her lap. She quickly kissed Jacob's forehead, smiling weakly. "Jacob…how are you feeling?"_

_The little boy smiled. "I feel okay, mommy. I'm just really…tired, and my head hurts a lot. If I go to the doctor's…are they going to give me more blood tests?"_

_Delaney nodded. "Yes, they have to in order to make sure you're healthy, my love."_

_Jacob looked down. "But they always take so much blood…and I always feel so tired afterwards, even with the candy they give me. Mommy…how come I'm not getting better?"_

_She looked at her son, forlorn. "Hush now, Jacob. You'll get better. Here, let mommy ice your head then you can go off to sleep, alright?"_

_Smiling again, Jacob hugged his mother. "Alright, mommy. I love you! You're the best."_

_Her eyes glazed over. "I love you, too."_

For the second time Marluxia awoke drenched in sweat with his sheets sticking to him like a second skin. His breathing was heavily labored and his head hurt like he had a migraine though he knew he didn't. Inhaling deeply he looked around the youth hostel but saw no one in sight; or at least no one had awakened. Thankful for this at least, he fell back on his mattress with his hand on his forehead as he stared at the bunk above him. No one ever slept up there but he hated it nonetheless; because he hated being underneath or enclosed in anything. He wasn't claustrophobic by any means but he didn't want to be trapped anywhere. He knew, at this point, that he couldn't very well go back to sleep but then again, now that he was awake he didn't know what to do. Going to Xigbar's café was not the most appealing option even if it was really the only one he had. But he worked in the afternoon and didn't feel like being there so early. Scowling to himself he forced his body out of bed and into a t-shirt, his jeans, and shoes with hair tousled but for once not caring at all, despite his usual reputation of being meticulous, which he was. However, at the present time, Marluxia's mind was so far from how he looked. All he knew was that he needed to take a walk somewhere to cool off and clear his aching head of the images plaguing him. He had walked no more than a few feet out of the hostel when he came face to face with the last two people he'd expected to see.

"What're you doing here?"

Axel didn't smile or flinch. He just stared hard at Marluxia while Roxas approached the brunette. "What are YOU doing here? Demyx has been worried sick about you. Does he know you're here?"

"Not that it's any of your business but yes, he does. What do you two want?"

Axel put his finger to his temple, smirking. "You're going to help us bring down Sumitse, got it memorized?"

Marluxia looked annoyed more than surprised, which was a relief for the other two young men. "So…she told you?"

"Well, getting it out of her was like pulling teeth and Axel has a lot of battle scars but yeah, she spilled—enough, anyway. She told me Sora was here with you tonight." Roxas stated, eyes still staring hard at the other man, hands in his pockets. "What are you willing to do?"

Nonchalant, Marluxia answered Roxas matter-of-factly. "Honestly, I'd like to slit Sumitse's throat myself but I've been informed that it's not my place but…I would like to demolish the men responsible…for what's happened."

"The men responsible for injecting those experimental drugs into…Jacob?" The dirty blonde supplied, his eyes genuinely saddened. "Marluxia…we're willing to work together to stop him, all of us. There's a lot we need to fill you in on, if you don't mind coming to the mansion."

"I've seen quite enough of that crazy, savage nymph to last me a lifetime."

"We're not asking," Axel replied, stone faced. "You're coming with us, conscious or not, got it?"

"Axel, shut up," Roxas snapped. "Look…it's not only for Larxene. This is for everyone that's been affected. Demyx told us what happened to Jacob, and we know, somewhat now, what's happened to Namine. Please…I'M asking you as her friend…please. For whatever reason, Namine likes you a lot. She is the one that asked us to come here."

Marluxia looked puzzled and incredulous; he didn't know the girl past a few interludes and her assault. How could she think asking him would make him acquiesce to such a request? Shaking his head, he turned away to think. He could go and get revenge on all of them for what had happened to him, his mother, his brother. Or he could walk away from these people who were willing to collaborate and bring down a filthy excuse for a human being and his company. '_What options_,' he mused bitterly. He knew he didn't have much to lose at this point. '_Except my life but even that doesn't seem so bad._' Sighing, he brought his gaze back to the two males standing behind him. "Fine, I'll humor her request but I reserve the right to walk away from this mess whenever I choose, understand?"

The redhead snorted nastily as he nodded. "Sure, whatever. Not like you'd be missed."

"Axel, I said to ." Roxas snapped vehemently, to which Axel whined like a wounded puppy. He looked at the brunette. "Okay, thank you. Come on, we should get back." As they walked towards the bridge the dirty blonde glanced over to Marluxia again, noting his ghastly pallor and distracted mien. "Hey uh…you feelin alright, man?" The older man nodded but Roxas didn't believe him for a second. However, instead of pressing the issue he kept walking in the blanketed silence as Axel played with his lighter frantically, a signal that usually meant he was anxious about something. '_Probably anxious that I yelled at him, the dope_,' Roxas thought. He knew his boyfriend was on edge lately but he was being downright rude to everyone, except Larxene. He'd already caused problems for them with Dr. Lockhart, who seemed to be a rather pleasant but firm woman. Luckily, Yuffie was very cheerful and unfazed by much. But Roxas had the feeling that Axel had put a damper on their impression with Attorney Kosaka even if the older man hadn't voiced or expressed such sentiments. Now, all he wanted was to soothe his boyfriend and let him know that it was okay but Axel looked not only anxious but peeved and hurt by his previous words. Roxas already knew he'd deal with it later, he'd make it up to him in the evening but for now he'd have to settle with busywork.

All thoughts were put on hold when they arrived at the quiet mansion only to find Namine outside on the porch, crying. Roxas immediately ran up to her, concern evident on his features as he dropped to his knees before the teary eyed girl, hand reaching up to wipe at the drops before they could slide further down her cheeks. Axel held Marluxia at bay as the dirty blonde spoke to the girl. "Namine…what happened?"

She sniffled. "Larxene came home…but she looked awful. I think something happened to her. After you and Roxas left to go get Marluxia she darted out of here so fast that I don't think she heard me. Riku's inside trying to patch her up but she almost stabbed him twice. Roxas….she looks terrible. I think…I don't know…she looks horrible!" Namine broke into hysterical sobs as Roxas whirled around and shot a sharp look at his boyfriend. Axel merely nodded before entering the house to see what had happened. Marluxia stood there, his face indifferent but wonder swirling behind his sapphire eyes as the young girl continued to sob. He wanted to ask her questions, to interrogate her about what had just occurred. But knowing Roxas, the younger man would probably try to cut his head off or something, should the young woman be pressed to further discomfort. Sighing, Marluxia walked behind the pair as the young man managed to get Namine inside the house and to the loveseat where she fell down, destitute. He wasn't sure what compelled him to do so but he moved over, placed a hand over the crown of her golden hair and rubbed, gently. If she was alarmed she hid it well, instead shuddering and leaning further in to the comforting warmth of his palm.

"Marluxia…I'm sorry that…you are always here when things go…bad," she replied quietly though he had asked no question. He gave her a blank stare and Namine blanched. "I know you didn't ask for an explanation or for apologies…it's just that…anyone involved with us…ends up hurt."

"What do you mean?" His curiosity was peaked with this statement and now, he wanted a real answer.

She frowned when she realized her mistake. "It's just that…I mean…maybe you should ask Roxas…or Axel. They can explain it better since they're not…us."

"I suppose…I could ask them. But I would rather ask you, young Namine," he replied, calmly and quietly.

Namine felt her heart hammer when she discovered that the past was something she hadn't quite dealt with yet herself. While Larxene's was plagued with horrendous memories—most of which she could barely remember—she knew that hers was not so wonderful either, especially her most recent past. Her mind did a complete 180 when she brought her gaze up to Marluxia's questioning cobalt one, his eyes searching hers though they were not as aggressive as her sister's. The older blonde had a way of demanding even with a mere glance and it irked the young girl to no end that such a power radiated from someone so close to her. Sighing, the young blonde crossed her arms over her knees, letting them rest there as comfortably as they would allow. Not known for eloquence, and certainly not courage or straightforwardness, she knew she couldn't tell the man next to her anything that wouldn't be misconstrued, especially since she barely remembered a lot of it. She had the feeling that now, since as a young child she was naïve, as an adult she could now look back and be sure she was probably on some drug during the whole of her teen years to silence her from telling anyone about the horrors inflicted upon her older sister. She didn't put it past her disgusting-excuse-for-a-human-being stepfather to do such an illegal and morally corrupt thing to his own stepdaughter. '_Yeah…he's a sorry excuse for a person,_' she mused as she felt fresh tears well up to her burning eyelids. Namine was not one to hold back such things but she felt like hiding what had happened to her.

Despite the fact that drugs may have prevented her from helping Larxene more, she couldn't help the guilt welling up inside the pit of her stomach. She had always felt like she could have done more to protect her older sister. '_What a joke, Namine…she was busy protecting you._' Then again, with recent evidence unearthed by her own sister, Namine began to feel like no matter what she had done that Sumitse wanted Larxene and Larxene alone. He didn't display any interest in actually penetrating her with his own penis, which didn't make it any less horrific to her. However, that he had not actually touched her was disturbing. He seemed to be picturing someone else when he had assaulted her. None of this seemed to make sense to her, and she continued to ponder about what had occurred. That Larxene had run out of the house quicker than Namine could scream for her to stay meant that she was onto something. '_Or out to get someone,_' the blonde thought as she glanced back at the black, wrought-iron gate. It couldn't have been a very long time that she'd been gone but it felt like an eternity to the younger girl. She was deeply troubled by her older sister's disappearance at first, then her reappearance looking like a mangled rat, bloody and dying. More tears came as she felt the hand on her head begin to move again. Marluxia seemed to have a disconnected yet soothing air about him, which heightened Namine's curiosity but also made her somewhat fearful. Her step-father also had the same air about him though it heavily lacked the "soothing" aspect in all areas. Her step-father mainly possessed the disconnected part.

Cringing, Namine held her breath when she heard loud cursing and what sounded like crash, which more than likely meant that Axel was wrestling with Larxene about her injuries. That Roxas and Axel were even able to get anywhere near Larxene was a wonder unto itself. '_Yes…but it could also be because they're gay and have no interest in her._' What some would consider a cynical thought, Namine thought was actually quite true and common, at least where she and Larxene were concerned. People could call it whatever the hell they wanted. The truth of the matter—for them—was that Axel and Roxas had no attraction towards them, which leant to them feeling safest with the gay couple. She wasn't sure if this was viewed as a good thing or bad thing but she was sure that, at this point, it was of little consequence. She winced again as she heard Larxene shout and Axel curse, which more than likely meant that they had succeeded in doing some cleaning of wounds. Sighing, Namine leaned into Marluxia's touch, content with the comforting air it offered despite it only being his hand. And suddenly, she had the intense urge to ask about Jacob. Craning her neck to face him, she blinked as his sapphire eyes focused on her own sky blue pair.

"Yes, young Namine?"

"Marluxia…I…I wanted to ask you about…Jacob." His face contorted into a mask of uncertainty and pain, to which Namine could only shudder, remembering her own terrifying experiences as a child. She quickly regretted the inquiry. "I'm sorry…it's okay. Never mind. I suppose it was…insensitive of me to ask you that."

The young man in question said nothing, his eyes unreadable and facial expression blank. His thoughts were, instead, focused on the fact that he couldn't remember much about what happened to Jacob. He did remember all that happened prior to Jacob's death. But his memory around the actual occurrence was somewhat blurred, like there were pieces of information missing. Maybe pieces he'd purposely been meant to forget thanks to whatever chemical had been given to him by Sumitse's cronies. He was pretty sure it was a mixture of anti-depressants, psychosomatic controlling drugs, and sleeping pills; he didn't see a better combination to make someone forget, and to not feel much about such a traumatic event. He couldn't quite remember all the events as everything was a cloudy haze due to the drugs ingested at the time. But more sinister and puzzling was how they were allowed to give him such things. He blanched for a moment, pausing in his thought process as he remembered all Jacob's hospital visits, most of which were headed by his mother. She'd always seemed so down at these appointments despite the fact that Jacob's condition remained, more or less the same. He didn't get worse, though he didn't improve. And Marluxia suddenly began to get a queasy feeling in his stomach. Instead of dwelling on it, he chose to try and ponder more on it later. Sighing, he glanced back to Namine, eyes still giving no explanation. When she made to speak again he held up his hand.

"No…it's…alright, young Namine. I was simply…lost in thought."

"Has anyone ever told you that…you talk so old world?" She asked, eyes weary but alight with a smile.

He nodded. "Why yes…just this evening. Your good friend Sora, was it? He did mention the same thing."

Namine couldn't conceal a small giggle. "It's true. Marluxia, it's like you're from another world than the rest of us."

"That's not entirely untrue, you know."

Both Namine and Marluxia turned to see Demyx standing there with Zexion, both looking slightly frazzled. Upon meeting eyes with his best friend, Marluxia made an ugly face and spun away from him, opting to look at the wall as if it was the most interesting thing in the room. Immediately Namine figured she'd missed something but she decided to welcome them in as quietly and hospitably as possible given that Larxene was shrieking like a banshee in the adjacent room. Demyx and Zexion each took a seat on the couch next to her, tired and restless, while Marluxia continued to pretend he hadn't even realized they were there. The interlude was cut short when Larxene exited the door, arms crossed against her chest as Axel practically dragged her to be seated on the couch. Roxas trailed behind him with a first aid kid while Riku walked past them looking aggravated; in his arms were bloodied bandages, gauze, alcohol pads and a filthy gag. Marluxia shot it a disturbed look right before Riku dumped it all into the kitchen trash before returning to where Namine was seated. Almost instantly she was leaning over his seated form, her fingers inspecting for wounds where there were bloodied spots on his clothing. He quickly quieted her down, explaining that all the blood was Larxene's and she hadn't managed to stab him at all. At this the brunette haired man tore his gaze away from the younger teens, letting it travel until it rested on the savage nymph sitting quietly on the couch, fuming.

She looked an utter mess, hair askew and darkened with blood that had barely been washed away. Since she'd been stripped of her trademark coat Marluxia could now see all the scars, the bruises, the cuts and gashes littering her pale skin. Her arms were covered in scratches that seemed minimal in pain and blood but had been damaging enough to leave thin red lines. Her legs were donned with what appeared to be a pair of pajama pants—probably Axel's—that clung to her hips and nowhere else. He didn't even want to imagine what was underneath there. Her chest, however, had a gash on it, barely concealed with thick patches of gauze that was still slightly bloody. Her face was mostly untouched save for a few scratches too, and a bruise that colored the left side of her face. All in all, he'd say she looked a bloody riot, but he was surprised she was still alive granted the ferocity of her personality; not to mention of where she'd probably ran off to prior to his arrival. He felt like he should stop looking at her before she realized he was but couldn't tear his eyes away because despite all the bruises and such, she still looked beautiful in her marred appearance. The tank top she sported left little to the imagination, especially as he had been so close to kissing her underneath Moogle Bridge in that exact same piece of clothing. Her skin was wet with residual water droplets, no doubt from whatever water had been used to try and clean the blood off the rest of her body and hair. If Marluxia didn't know her even a fraction of amount he did now, he'd say she was a beautifully crafted disaster fit for anyone to save. Yet this image was unnecessary as he knew her well enough now, at least to know she'd slit his throat if he ever so much as mentioned his thoughts on her appearance looking anything but awful. Apparently, for this woman, insults were the best compliments. Sighing again, this time internally, he forced his attention away from her, back to Riku and Namine who had finally settled down even though Larxene was glaring at them like she wanted to burn holes through their heads.

Demyx, who'd been mostly silent since Marluxia's obvious cold shoulder, finally spoke up. "Larxene…you went back, didn't you?"

"You're damn right I did, pansy!" She snapped forcefully. "I was going to kill that bastard, too! But he had his damn cronies about…fuckin coward."

"Who did this to you?" Axel's question was anything but loving.

She snarled at him. "Seifer and Fuujin. Xaldin may not have laid his hands on me to beat the living daylights out of me, but he definitely crossed me enough…to…" she seemed to be having trouble getting the words out. Namine shot her a pitying, knowing look; Larxene didn't like being bested. "He knocked me out, okay? The bastard fought dirty!"

Rolling his eyes, Roxas pressed an alcohol pad to his boyfriend's bleeding shoulder. Larxene had nailed the dancing flame in the same spot, same shoulder, twice in a week. The wound reopened, Axel hissed when his lover tended to it. Little unbeknownst to the rest of them, Roxas was beginning to tire of the constant fighting and such. He liked having Axel no matter what, but cleaning up after their spats was becoming a chore, a chore he didn't favor. It was taking its toll. As it was, Roxas always felt responsible for cleaning up Larxene's messes—Axel, Namine, alcohol, drugs; name it and Larxene had a habit of it in some way or another. Resigning himself to discuss it at some other time, Roxas continued dressing the wounds on his boyfriend's upper body in hopes that they would heal sooner than later. As a result, it took him a few moments to realize that Namine was addressing him, her large blue, doe eyes pensive as she looked at him. To her side Riku looked thoughtful, aquamarine spheres seemingly clouded over.

"I'm sorry Nami…what was the question?"

She gave him another of her, lately, weak smiles. "I was asking if you were willing to be a part of the….plan, to take Sumitse down. You know…one of the physical people."

"Are we…doing things that are physical?" Axel snorted and Roxas shot him a warning glance. "Did I miss something?"

"We're going to have to infiltrate the facility," Demyx stated matter-of-factly. "That's going to require a lot of finesse, force and…intelligence."

"Intel?" Roxas asked. "How do we even get that?"

"That's where we come in." Marluxia rolled his eyes at Xigbar's dramatic entrance. By his side was Luxord looking calm but cocky at the same time. Larxene's eyes narrowed dangerously. She was about to snap at them when Xigbar chuckled. "How did we get here, by chance?" Everyone blinked. "As if. Luxord did work for your parents, Larxy. Not to mention we were all monitoring your family. Hell, we've known about you all for years! You didn't seriously think that Sumitse wasn't going to have this place wired before he started sleeping with your mother, did you?"

Demyx cringed. "Way to blow the big fish out the water, Xiggie."

Namine's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Monsieur Luxord? What're you…?" She trailed off, her glance shooting to Larxene like a deer caught in the headlights, her lower lip trembling as Luxord looked away in shame. "Sleeping with mom? Sumitse…wait, I don't understand." When no one said anything Namine stood, her cheeks red and hot, her hands curling into fists as she felt anger rising in her throat. "What the hell is going on here? Someone tell me. I may be naïve but I'm not stupid, Larxene! What is he doing here, after all these years, after he left us?" Her sister suddenly looked ill and the young blonde felt her anger turn into terror and uncertainty. "Larxene?"

"He…" Larxene felt bile rise in her own throat, willing to expel itself as she tried to keep it together. "I…"

When he couldn't seem to find the words to explain anything, Namine felt tears threaten her already tired, swollen eyes. "How could you hide this from me? I hate you!"

With that she turned and ran out the back door, the loud slam making Larxene flinch against her will. No one said a word, silence enveloping all of them until Riku stood and glared. He shot Larxene a withering look before following the young blonde. They could hear him shouting her name outside as he searched for her. Larxene felt tears burn her own eyelids but refused to let them fall, not in front of everyone. Axel and Roxas had seen her broken already. She'd be damned if she let anyone else see it. Gritting her teeth, she fought back the tears until she felt them stop threatening to fall. Once this was accomplished, she brought her gaze back to face all of them, malice lacing her eyes and voice when she began to speak.

"How soon do we do this?"

"I need to contact Dr. Lockhart and Attorney Kosaka. He said he wanted some paperwork done. Nurse Yuffie and Office Strife are supposed to be here to speak to us very shortly," Axel replied, hissing when Roxas reapplied a bandage to the wound Larxene had inflicted. She ignored his pain as she glared this time, taking Riku's cue. "What the hell is that look for?"

"What? Axel…what the fuck do you mean WHAT!" She raged. "Am I supposed to just feel dandy about all these fucking people invading my damn house?"

"I suggest you get over it, if you want to see this whole catastrophe solved." Marluxia's sapphire eyes locked with hers, his hard and unyielding as hers blazed fire and animosity. She was about to shout something back at him when he shook his head and turned his back to her. "I don't want to hear anything you might be thinking, Miss Larxene. I've had about my fill of your petty disputes and what not. I want this to end just as badly as everyone else. I, for one, am not going to stand for this power and control issue you're fighting about." His shoulders suddenly felt heavy as he whispered to himself more than anyone else. "I just…I would like some peace…if not for me…then for Jacob."

"Marluxia?" the young man in question bristled involuntarily at Demyx's voice, but otherwise he said nothing. "I think we should meet with all these people. If Xigbar and Luxord know the Facility as well as they say, then it's worth a shot to try and go in, see what we can find." The musician glanced over to Larxene who had all but calmed; she was, however, quiet. "I think we should discuss…logistics."

Marluxia snorted. "I suppose going in without a plan would be most unadvisable."

Zexion nodded. "If you would tell me all the factual and tactical information, I can easily develop the most logically sound and appropriate way to do all this."

Luxord and Xigbar exchanged glances before the pirate wannabe laughed out loud. "I like this guy, Lux. He just has that…scheming air about him."

"In high school he was called the Cloaked Schemer…if you can imagine that," Axel supplied sarcastically. "Ouch! Roxie, that hurt!" His boyfriend shook his head as Axel began shrugging his coat back over all the wounds and bruises. For his part, he seemed unaffected by what had happened to him. "So, who is going to be the brains of the operation, and who is going to be the brawns?"

Roxas rolled his eyes this time. "Clearly you're going to be the brawns. They way you play with that lighter, well, it will come in handy when torching Sumitse's goons." Demyx nodded his head enthusiastically while Larxene huffed in impatience. "Okay, that aside, it's time to call Attorney Kosaka and Dr. Lockhart. If they can get here with Nurse Yuffie and Office Strife, I say we can make this operation a go."

"We're here! The gate and door were open so we let ourselves in. Good evening!"

All eyes turned to see Yuffie in the doorway with who they presumed to be Officer Strife. Behind him were 4 other people no one seemed to really recognize except Axel and Roxas. Introductions, however, were never able to happen when Riku walked in and pushed his way through them to the front until he was standing there, Namine beside him. Everyone was stunned into silence for moments before Riku spoke. "Sephiroth…what're you doing here? How did you even get here? Wait…am I MISSING something?"

Sephiroth sighed deeply, rubbing his head for a minute as he prepared for his brother's temper to flare. "Yes…good evening brother. I am here on business."

"Business?" Riku's eyes were beginning to narrow into slits. But before he could say anything further Officer Strife stepped in, creating havoc.

"Your brothers, Dr. Lockhart, Nurse Kisaragi, Ms. Gainsborough and I, are all here working on a Sexual Assault case involving a minor; and it says she lives here."

The silence that followed left a sour taste in Larxene's mouth as she realized that a lot of people had been left out of the loop—purposely or not—and the miscommunication was about to blow up in their faces. When she chanced a quick check up on Namine she could see the younger girl quivering and looking ready to vomit all over the place. Without thinking, she yanked Namine away from Riku's grasp and stormed upstairs. She heard the gasps, the surprise everywhere, Axel and Roxas' footsteps darting after them shortly thereafter. But she did not stop, despite Namine's protests and Roxas' shouts. She didn't stop until she'd practically thrown Namine into the master bedroom, effectively slamming the door in Axel's face just as he was about to run inside. She ignored the loud knocks and banging on her door as Namine hugged herself against the furthest wall, her eyes showing fright.

"I did it…I did it because…I thought I could take care of it," Larxene replied, voice so low her sister had to strain to hear it. "I didn't want…I couldn't let you…know the details."

"And this is better, Larxene?" Namine whispered back, her voice tired. "How is this better? Everyone is confused and I'm hurt…I didn't even know…this whole time…why couldn't you just tell me? I'm going to be 18 in a month…this is my life, Larxene. I had the right to know someone was pursuing my case, that someone took it seriously even when our stepfather could've easily paid them to keep quiet…I deserved to know."

"I was just trying to be…your big sister, for once. I thought I was doing the right thing by…letting you continue life without…thinking about logistics," she said, her eyes watering but tears did not fall. "Can't you understand? This is who I am. I hate who I am and so does everyone else."

"You're my sister…I don't hate you, Larxene. I just wish…I wish you'd let me in more. It's been…years since we've even…talked." Namine was still shaking but now her eyes shone of sadness. Larxene searched for pity in those blue depths so much like their father's but found none; all she found was deep sadness. "All you do is push me away because of some backwards need to protect me from the world. But you can't do it anymore. You're falling apart….and everyone can see it."

"You don't understand!" Larxene snapped harshly at the girl, whirling away from her as she began pacing. "You don't know what happened…you can't even begin to imagine and there is no way in hell I'm telling. It's better this way!"

In the midst of her rant Namine heard the banging at her sister's door finally stop. She imagined it had everything to do with Axel's giving up on getting in but realized that the entire house was silent. Curious, she managed to grab a hold of Larxene's arm, successfully ending her pacing. "Ssh. Larxene…do you hear…anything?"

Larxene was immediately on the defensive when she noticed that there was no noise below them, and that the loud attempts of Axel to enter her room had indeed stopped. Glancing at Namine with a cautious look, she approached her door and leaned her ear against it. Suddenly there were faint noises that drifted through the wood of her door, unintelligible but there all the same. Straining to her, Larxene pressed her ear harder against the surface, hoping to catch even a hint of what was transpiring downstairs. She was about to storm out when the noise level increased so much that Namine labeled it a commotion. Both females threw the door open and ran down the staircase to see what had occurred. What they saw made Namine cower in slight fear, and Larxene almost vomit. Standing in the doorway was Mr. Sumitse, and his cronies. The older Isuki fought the urge to vomit and kill him altogether while Namine hid behind the stair rails, hoping she wouldn't be seen.

Everyone else was blocking his entrance further into the living room; Marluxia was in the far back, while Axel stood in the far front. She could see that Sephiroth had disappeared into the shadows but the 3 females she'd seen earlier were standing their ground with Office Strife. Roxas, Demyx, Zexion and Riku had blocked the entryway to the kitchen and further reaches of the house while the two young women watched from the shadows, silent. At first it didn't seem like anyone was going to say a word until Sumitse cleared his throat.

"Well…good evening. I did not know we would encounter such…hospitable company." Still, no one reacted. "Hmm…indeed hospitable. I am here to request an audience with the lady of the house, if you please."

"We don't, so take your ass off the premise," Axel spat, lighter in his pocket at the ready. Roxas was quiet beside him but calculating the man's bodyguards. Both men could see who they assumed to be Xaldin, Seifer and Fuujin behind him, waiting with guns in their hands. Axel didn't budge. "We don't please scum like you. Got it memorized?"

Sumitse coughed. "I'm afraid I don't have time for this. If I do not see the Lady of the house soon, I will…lose my temper. You understand, yes?"

"As if. No one is gonna be scared off by those antics, man." Xigbar fought hard to ignore the surprised look on Xaldin's face as he and Luxord emerged from the back of the line, like a final showdown was going to take place. Seifer and Fuu seemed a bit alarmed as well but held their ground. "Hey there former boss man!" Luxord elbowed him. "Ow, that hurt!"

Sumitse's smile was dangerous. "Ah…I see my leftover lackeys have found their way here. How do these good people know you're not just spying for me?" Luxord rolled his eyes. "Regardless of your sudden presence, these people should know that you're not exactly trustworthy yourselves. Do these people now know of your betrayal, Luxord? Of how you knew the night Cora and Phillip died, that it was all planned, and you did nothing to stop it?"

Namine gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth as Larxene's grip on the stairs railing tightened, her cheeks flaming and tears burning her eyelids so badly that the tears were a minute away from falling. He continued on, not knowing they were there. "Do they know how you quit without mentioning this to them? About how you and Xigbar planted the cameras here before their parents death, all according to plan? How much of the deceptive lies you played at, how many of the dirty deeds you performed are they actually privy to?"

Larxene could hear her sister sniffling, not able to hold back the tears at the horror Sumitse's words held but he still kept going, to their horror. "And the boy…why, Demyx, I didn't know that you were here as well. Does your friend know the part you played?" The musician held back a grimace, wanting nothing more than to disappear into a black hole at the refreshed memory of Marluxia's pain. "Does the boy know how you sold his family to your father, who in turn sold them to me? All for a nice sum of money…tell me, Demyx…how does that feel?"

"Enough of your bullshit. Get out or I will have you removed." Officer Strife took out his Beretta, ignoring the fact that Xaldin had a much bigger and powerful weapon. "Unlike the police in Traverse and Twilight Town, the FBI does not take bribes, Mr. Sumitse. I suggest you vacate the premises…NOW."

For the first time in the last couple months, Tifa Lockhart was proud of her friend as Sumitse threw them a dirty look before signaling the others to back down. "Fine. You may have won this round but next time…hand over the girl or you won't be so lucky."

And just like that they were gone. However, the silence remained intact—thick and stifling—until movement from upstairs caught everyone's attention. On the stairs sat Namine, tears streaming down her pale cheeks, eyes bloodshot and mumbles completely incoherent. Next to her stood Larxene, the older woman looking truly tired as her body sagged against the wall, light trails of tears sliding down her cheeks too, her left hand holding her right arms so tight that she could have broken it. At a loss for words, everyone else cleared the way as Axel and Roxas slowly, and quietly, made their way towards the pair. No one said a word as Roxas gathered Namine in his arms and further ascended the stairs towards his bedroom—Riku followed shortly behind without anyone's protest. Axel stood before Larxene, silent and patient. She said nothing, didn't even acknowledge him as everyone slowly cleared out at Zexion's announcement that he'd make them all coffee. Once everyone had moved back into the living room area Axel reached out to Larxene, his fingers almost touching her hand when she snapped.

"Don't touch me…"

"Lightning bug…" Axel trailed, his favored nickname for her showing that he was not feeling even slightly antagonistic.

"Stop it…it's done. What more do you all want?" She seemed to be lost, her eyes glassy and lips trembling. "I have nothing else….it's over. Go away."

Despite the stubbornness that she exhibited, Axel was not willing to give up. "Don't start that."

She sighed heavily. "Axel…I don't feel like talking…or fighting, for once. Please…I'm asking you…leave me a lone."

He was stunned. Larxene not wanting to fight? Larxene asking and being polite? It was unheard of these days; and Axel didn't like it. "You're…giving up? Just like that?"

"I don't care anymore. Just…go take care of Namine. She needs you two…I'll be fine." She glanced at him for the first time since the situation ended. He felt his heart break at her expression. Larxene's eyes were empty. There was no fire in them, no determination, not even hate—just nothing. In all his years of knowing her he'd never seen her looked even remotely defeated and it didn't sit well with him at all. Axel may have been stubborn, and he may have fought with her constantly but Larxene was, ultimately, his friend. He could only stare when she nodded. "I'm always fine…remember?"

He was about to protest most emphatically when someone cleared his throat from behind them. Axel didn't have to turn around to know who it was but did so anyway. "What?"

Marluxia glanced up at them. "I'd like a word with Miss Larxene, if I may."

"You mostly certainly may not," she replied blankly.

Axel wanted to chuckle, and would have had the situation not been what it was. Instead, he nodded and moved past her up the stairs, stopping momentarily to whisper in her ear. "Hey…" she blinked to signal she was listening. "Be nice to him…I think he might just like you." Normally she would've swatted him or stabbed him but all she did was shrug as though she could care less. With a sigh, he proceeded the rest of the way upstairs, only stopping quickly to shoot the Graceful Assassin a warning look before vanishing behind his bedroom door.

Now alone in the hall, Larxene stared at him. "What is it?"

Marluxia made no move to approach her, opting to stay rooted to his spot a good few feet away from her. "Perhaps we could venture outside and have a civil conversation, one that doesn't involve you trying o stab me, shall we say?" He gestured to the back of the house, outside where the yard spanned for thousands of feet. "I…there is something I would like to discuss with you."

She brought her gaze from the floor to meet his, cerulean eyes connecting with his navy blue pair. She hesitated at first but when he made no move to leave, she took a few steps towards him to indicate that she would go. When they reached the door she paused, unsure of what it was she was getting herself into with him, especially since, as of the late, she felt like she could lose herself in those blue depths of his. She was going against her better judgment but he seemed to just have that hold on her. Ignoring all the other people inside her house who were speaking in hushed whispers, Larxene turned to face him. Since Marluxia was some inches taller than her, she had to look up just as he looked down at her, curious as to why she paused. All she could manage was a simple question.

"Why?"

He let a smile grace his lips, one Larxene found made him incredibly more handsome and attractive than before. Whether this was because it had a gentle tinge to it as opposed to an arrogant smirk, she didn't know. All she did know, though, was that it made her tingle inside, and she found herself wanting to smile back, though she didn't. His response was simple.

"Because."

And strangely, this, for once, seemed to suffice for her as she nodded and they both disappeared into the dark night, the stars still twinkling in the lazy haze that always seemed to encompass Twilight Town.

TBC...

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(Wow…and that's all? Who wants to throw tomatoes at me? I'll welcome them. All I can say is thank you to those who are still reading and haven't given up on this story. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, for being awesome and having faith. Love you all. Peace out, until next time, which hopefully won't be nearly as long.)

_Sadistickunais_


	16. Obscured

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Um…so this is like…ridiculously and utterly embarrassing but uh yeah…here's lame chapter 16...if you hate me, it's okay, I understand. I will go now. Thank you to anyone who is still reading.**

**Word coding:**

'_Thoughts'_ & **"**Speaking**"**

_Random flashbacks or other stuff _& Everything else

* * *

**Obscured**

Outside in the night air, Larxene felt oddly peaceful despite the commotion that had transpired shortly before her trek into her vast backyard. Whether this was attributed to her lack of emotion at the moment, or Marluxia's mysteriously soothing aura she didn't know, nor did she care to find out. As it was, the breeze drifting by them was not as hot as usual, which lent to the night being rather pleasant. She found it strange that the night itself would have been the opposite of what had occurred; tranquility as opposed to hostility. '_Such a weird combination but suitable for us, I guess.'_ Her thoughts were interrupted when Marluxia paused ahead of her, stopping just before the large, dried out fountain that used to be so beautiful during the spring and summer nights when her parents were alive. She blinked back bitter, biting tears at this, pushing the feelings back down into the darker depths of her heart. It wouldn't do well to dwell on her past more than already was present. While it had been forced back upon her, Larxene knew she didn't have to add more fuel to that already billowing fire. It would be best to let it simmer again, just below the façade of her well maintained composure. _'Except that now, it's gone to shit.'_ A scowl appeared on her lips even as Marluxia turned to her, eyebrow raised in questioning.

"Shut up," she whispered quietly but firmly.

Marluxia's brow rose higher, if possible, his fingers reaching up to rub his chin in a thought provoking gesture. "Ah…Miss Larxene, if I may, I have to insist that you quell your hostility, if but for a moment."

"Insist all you want. It doesn't mean I'm going to do it," she replied though the usual fire in her voice was heavily lacking, and the chestnut haired man noticed. Sighing, she fell against the fountain, perching herself on the granite as comfortably as possible. "What did you want to tell me?"

Seating himself a good amount of inches away from her, he settled into a comfortable position, the moonlight creating a silver crown on his hair. "I wanted…I wished to discuss something of pertinence with you, regarding this…situation." She blinked again, her face blank otherwise. "I feel that…it's finally time to tell you about Jacob."

"Your brother?"

He nodded. "Yes…Jacob was my little brother." Larxene didn't nod but her eyes suddenly took on an interested gaze as Marluxia heaved the heaviest sigh she'd heard since his arrival in Twilight Town all those months ago. "Jacob was…7 years old when he…died." Again, Larxene blinked but her eyes showed no other emotion and the man wondered, for a moment, if she was as heartless as so many claimed. "I can't remember, however, exactly how he died. I do know that the last time I saw Jacob was shortly before my father and mother disowned me and kicked me out of the house. I never looked back that day."

"Why not?"

"They blamed me…or…he blamed me, for Jacob's death. My mother…she never said a word, never stood up for me that day. She just cowered in fear, in acceptance. But now I know…I know it was Sumitse who killed Jacob." Involuntarily Larxene scooted closer to him, the interest in her eyes renewed; it bothered Marluxia mildly because he couldn't tell what kind of interest she was demonstrating. "Jacob used to go to the doctor's a lot—one doctor. When we lived in Traverse Town, we lived in a special housing complex that I didn't, until now, realize belonged to a block of property owned by your…step-father. It explains a lot now but back then, I was simply trying to provide for my family and finish school. One cannot blame me for not caring that rent was cheap, or that I was able to find a job with relative ease." He looked away. "It should've been obvious, all the signs that kept surfacing. I should've known better than to think I could help us all escape my father's…abusive grasp."

Rubbing his temples, Marluxia's voice fell into a deeper tone, solemn and full of an aching Larxene recognized all too well. "Jacob had been going into the Doctor's office far too long to have not fallen more ill, or to have his condition not improve. You see…Jacob, I now know, was being tested. The experimental drugs he had been injected with were to create a new medicine, a new serum, for some disease that Sumitse had been…conducting research on for many years. Perhaps you knew about it, indirectly. Whatever the case, he needed test subjects. What better way than to offer money to less illustrious, poverty stricken families like mine? Back then I…I didn't know that Demyx's father was a close colleague of his. I was young and naïve, my only concern for our well being." Shuddering, he felt the anger creep into his voice. "How foolish of me…this is my fault."

"How can that be?" Larxene quickly interjected in an even tone. "You didn't know. Shit…the bastard is my step-father and even I didn't know."

"I was too focused on not suspecting that something was amiss. I never miss a sign. I'm always one step ahead." Shame plastered his face. "But this time...I was unable to keep up with what was happening. The drugs…I was young. I was not able to resist the effects, nor recognize them until it was too late. Now everything is one big massive ball of debris floating around in my head like a lost memory."

Before she realized what she was doing, Larxene's hand reached out, covering his own for the briefest of seconds. At the discovery of what she had done, she quickly retracted it, turning away to hide the sudden blush of surprise that washed over her face. "It's…it's not your fault."

Marluxia was still staring at the spot where her fingers had been seconds earlier, somewhat mesmerized by the quick action. But he did not draw more attention to it as Larxene seemed highly uncomfortable as it was. "That is…rather kind of you to say. But I have no delusions as to what part I've played in this mess."

It seemed like there was nothing she could say that would get through to him and Larxene decided it was best to let him continue with this story. Normally she would have made some smart ass comment, some ridiculing statement to cut him down like she did everyone else in her life that made her feel unlike herself. But, as in every other instance involving him, she found her voice lost, her speech impaired to say anything to him if it was not nice. It was more than unnerving that this was the case; she was losing her touch. It was an extremely foreign concept to her to say the least. And it made for a very unsettling concept that she was, perhaps, going soft. Of course, this was a general sentiment that didn't apply to Namine at all; her little sister was her biggest downfall, if one considered her emotions on the girl a bad thing to begin with. Curling back into herself, the blonde was able to remain silent long enough for Marluxia to continue his story, the details startling as they were revealed one after another. His past was anything but happy and it reminded her, vaguely, of Axel's. While Roxas had been disowned for the mere inkling that he was gay, Axel's parents—bible thumpers, she called them—had sought to beat the "disease" out of him, bruising him until he was black and blue on many occasions. Or so he had shared with her. At first Larxene didn't think it was possible for Axel to sound any whinier but she'd been proven wrong when Roxas had entered the picture. They'd shown up on her doorstep by pure accident, the day a fond if not ridiculously funny and inappropriate memory for her.

"How did you meet them?"

Startled but masking it well, Larxene cocked her head to the side. "Meet who? The fags?"

"Is that really what you call them? It seems as though they're your friends," he replied, face impassive.

Sighing, she nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, they're my friends, Axel and Roxas," she admitted begrudgingly. "How did I meet them? It's not the most exciting story. You sure you want to hear it?"

"Are you sure you'd like to tell it, Miss Larxene?" She shot him a dirty look and Marluxia's lips turned into a sly smile. "I am interested in banter in which the likes are not so depressing as my previous…story. If you would be so gracious to extend the same consideration as I have, I would very much like to hear such a tale."

"So old world…has anyone ever told you that?"

"Thrice, this evening if I'm not mistaken," he said, eyes coy. "Now, if you please."

"Stop rushing me, flower," she huffed as she readjusted her legs on the stone fountain. "I'm only going to tell it once so listen. It's annoying." Marluxia looked attentive. "Quite frankly, there's nothing glamorous about it. I found those two squatting at my house like homeless people. It was disturbing."

* * *

_Larxene had managed to hide for the last few months from her step-father's goons with relative ease and relative succession. They had yet to come check the mansion, which she thought was incredibly stupid of them—it'd be the first place she'd have checked if looking for a missing ward. She would thank sheer dumb luck that she hadn't been discovered but she knew it had everything to do with the fact that her father was a cheap bastard who didn't pay his henchmen well, with the exception of Xaldin, Seifer and Fuujin. She knew he paid his scientists all the good money so they would continue their loyal experimentation. By God did she hate him more than anything else. And he had her sister. She knew she had to try and fight him for the younger girl, had to fight him to get her back. Her mother had been an incompetent and complete twit, entrusting them to him when the man was a disgusting excuse for a human being. Larxene shuddered, pulling her raggedy clothing tightly about her bruised skin. She had too many bruises and marks on her pale skin to venture out in public; people would ask questions she couldn't answer. She'd been kept inside so long that the outside world seemed like a scary place. _

_High school had become a distant memory after her parents died, her social life suffering heavily as a result and eventually ending in her becoming home-schooled. This did not occur without a fight and she had paid a dear price when defying her step-father. He had done what he saw fit to make her understand that he had the upper hand, everything to make her know that they belonged to him now. She had become property, an object, a possession that he coveted when he felt like it. The thought made Larxene sick to her stomach and she ended up dry heaving whatever semblance of lunch she had eaten, the contents spilling over her lips like acid, burning and stinging as they did so. Tears fell from her eyes in the solitude of her cache, the wooden walls encasing her in a safe hold. She had told herself many times before that if she ever cried, she'd be damned if she did it in front of him or Namine. Crying had become the ultimate weakness and Larxene vowed never to cry in front of those who would exploit such an emotion. This is how she learned to fend for herself, hardened and bitter as a result of her punishments. 'Punishment…fuck that pack of lies.' She had no reservations when it came to admitting what her step-father was, to herself. She knew what he had done was wrong and now, all she wanted to do was forget and move on with her life. But she knew, deep down, this would never be the case until he was at the bottom of the ocean, or six-feet under. And she knew she wanted, more than anything, to be the one to do it. _

_Until she was able to get Namine back and expose him, she could not rest. Sighing, she wiped her mouth with the dirty rag she'd brought with her. It was relatively quiet in the empty mansion that she had once called home. When she'd returned to it she realized she'd been away for at least a few years. It was dilapidated and falling apart. There was dust everywhere and it looked like there could have been a fire somewhere though she wasn't sure who would've put it out. Her room was as it had been left before she'd moved with her step-father. Namine's room, too, was the same, littered with dust covered pictures and broken crayons everywhere. The atmosphere of the house felt morose and Larxene wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that it had been empty for so long. Regardless, when the will was read to her, Namine and her step-father, she was grateful that the house had been given to her though she would not be able to inherit it until she was 18. This was, of course, overshadowed by the fact that Cora had given Mr. Sumitse custody of her two daughters unaware that, while she'd been living, he was a terribly disgusting excuse for a human being. Larxene snorted. She knew her mother had been so enamored with the man that the young blonde knew something was up. Her suspicions had been confirmed shortly thereafter; Larxene was no fool of a child—Phillip had raised them well. She knew her mother was having an affair with Mr. Sumitse but didn't care to address it as long as it kept Cora off her case, and allowed her to continue living life in peace. _

_That all changed the day her parents died. Nothing would ever be the same._

_Rubbing the tears from her eyes, Larxene made her way to the kitchen where the cupboards looked to be in decent condition. At the very least she'd have to figure out how to get food. She wouldn't be 18 for a few more months, which meant that Sumitse still had a hold on her money and whatever assets Cora did leave her. She knew that her father had left her and Namine a good sum of money, enough that they would, most likely, not have to work for a long time, if at all. But again, she could access nothing until she was 18. She was just thankful that he couldn't touch any of her assets either. It brought little comfort to her but in a time where barely anything brought her such a feeling, she'd take it where she could get it, complaining aside. She was hungry and she was extremely tired. She hadn't eaten in days and she hadn't slept either. The fact that the mansion was abandoned amazed her as she was sure it would've been inhabited by squatters and deviants, especially with how big and beautiful it was. The location, too, was a primary source for her suspicions that someone might be living in it, only confirmed moments later when she tripped on something. Glancing down in annoyance, Larxene came face to face with what looked like backpacks, 2 of them placed neatly against the interior wall of the living room area. She decided that now was the time to figure out what they were before anyone came snooping back around—that way she could dispose of them. She had just about opened the first one when she felt like someone was watching her._

"_Hey…just what the fuck do you think you're doing?"_

_The voice was distinctly male and she felt her eyes narrow before whirling around. The red-haired male standing before her couldn't have been anymore older than she was. She gave him a quick look over before deciding that he wasn't nearly as dangerous as she could be. Straightening, she shot him a wild smirk. "What does it look like, you fag? I'm investigating."_

"_You're touching my stuff, which means you're in for a world of pain, got it memorized?" _

_She snorted, shrugging her shoulders in nonchalance. "And I'm so not terrified right now by you, circus freak. If anyone should be asking questions, it should be me. This is my house, you ass." He raised a brow as if surprised and she responded in kind. "Whether you believe it or not isn't the relevant response. Judging by your expression, you, at least, know this isn't your house. What're you doing here?"_

_He matched her smirk easily, running a hand through his spiked locks. "Not that it's any of your business, but we're just staying here…for the moment."_

"_For the moment?"_

"_Axel, I managed to scrounge up enough spare change to grab us some food!" Both Larxene and the man, who she now knew was named Axel, turned to the door in time to see a figure bound in with dirty blonde hair. He was all smiles until his eyes landed on her; he skidded to a halt next to the red-head. "Axel…um…friend of yours?"_

"_Not exactly," Larxene replied. "You've been…shacking up in my house."_

"_Your house?" She nodded. The boy almost dropped the food in his hands. "But this house has been abandoned for years. We've been hear for months and no one said it belonged to somebody."_

"_Yeah well…Twilight Town wouldn't know jack shit about most of its back alleys or uninhabited parts of town now, would it?" They continued to stare at her, for which Larxene took as judgment and became rather annoyed. "Look…this is my house. I'd have the right mind to kick you the fuck out back onto the streets but…" her stomach growled. "If you give me a fruit…we can…discuss some alternate options."_

"_You barely know us, lady," Axel said, his eyes as suspicious as she had been moments before when he'd caught her rummaging through his pack._

_Truth be told it was unlike her, these days, to be so kind, in a manner of speaking. But she was tired, she was hungry, and she was lonely. These two boys didn't seem to be in cahoots with her step-father nor did they seem to have anywhere else to go. They seemed harmless and hadn't asked her any questions. Sighing, she leaned back against the nearest wall, shoulders sagging with exhaustion and malnourishment. "Just give me a damn fruit and we'll talk, okay? I'm fuckin starving."_

_Immediately the blonde haired boy bounded over to her, shoving an orange in her face, which she devoured with such ferocity seconds later that the boy could only smile sadly. "You've been…thrown out too, haven't you?"_

"_No." She chewed thoughtfully on the piece of food. "What's your name?"_

"_His name is Roxas, and I'm Axel." The red-head sauntered over to them, placing his arm around the younger boy. "And you are…?"_

"_It's not important," she answered, still chewing with fervor._

"_You must be…you must be that girl we've been hearing about, the one who is missing from across the bridge?"_

_Larxene almost choked on her fruit. It was mere seconds before Axel was lying on his back with her kunai pointed sharply at his neck. Her scraggly clothing was falling off as she hovered above him; Roxas seemed paralyzed behind them. "Who else know I'm here?"_

"_No one really. It's just rumors. Well…it was just rumors. Suffice it say…we know who you are now." Axel's smirked widened almost devilishly. "So…you're the infamously missing Larxene Isuki."_

_Pulling away, she brushed her clothes off. "If you can keep that secret…you can stay here." _

"_Just like that?" Roxas looked incredulous._

"_That…and don't ask me anymore questions, or you'll find out what it's like to not have a tongue," she spat. _

_And thus began the terms of their friendship._

* * *

By all rights it wasn't the most exciting story he'd ever heard but Larxene hadn't told it in the most exciting manner, either. She seemed thoroughly tired and bored; as though the story was hard to tell due to the fact she didn't have the energy or interest in sharing. He hadn't quire imagined their meeting to be of epic proportions but he didn't expect it to be so simple. Then again, Larxene, he was finding, left a lot to the imagination when it came to explanations. She hardly ever finished telling stories or expounding on any particular things unless it suited her, which now, he gathered, the story did not. All in all he hadn't found it quite as disturbing as she had made it sound. He wasn't sure, either, if this should've bothered him or not. It seemed as if she was prone to dramatics and he didn't quite know if this was something endearing or madly frustrating. Larxene was such a hard person to figure out and he was determined to do so, if only to support his arrogant thoughts that he actually could and would. The challenge was great but then again, Marluxia loved things that were hard to crack. Whether this was due to his elitist nature or simply because of the way he was raised—to overcome all obstacles—was up to outsiders to decide. As for himself, he would do it for the mere fact that he was outrageously bored as of the late. Life without Larxene and her friend's drama had proved humdrum and colorless. Not that discovering his brother's murder was any fun or less riveting; Sumitse was going to pay and he was going to make Larxene help him. She didn't seem unwilling to do so.

Stretching his sore limbs, he stood from his own perch on the dried out water fountain, eyes alight with newfound determination to scrape up any information he could on the bastard. Immediately, her movements sharp, Larxene turned to him, her expression tentative. "Where are you going, flower?"

The nickname was not to his liking nor was it a chosen affect he would've deemed appropriate yet he never really fought her on discarding it. Instead, he signaled towards her house. "Back inside, as it were. I believe, Miss Larxene, that a conversation with the local law enforcement is in order. It would seem wisest, too, to speak with the Examiner who has a hold of your records and Namine's. I do believe these people are here to help you."

Muttering to herself, Larxene nodded though she said nothing aloud in response to his commentary. Normally she would have just stabbed him but she did not have the drive to do so, not today. There were a horde of people in her house who she didn't know anything about, let alone ever seen, and she just wanted to know why. She had a good idea why but knew it couldn't hurt to find out more about them and why they wanted to help her. She wasn't paying them anything so why would they want to help her? _'Some people like to just help,'_ she thought, recalling Axel's own words despite his jaded past and reservations about peoples' motives. It was still unusual and she'd been taught that everything comes at a price, nothing was free. And if it supposedly was, then there was a catch. _'There's ALWAYS a catch,' _she thought as she followed Marluxia back inside her mansion where, no doubt, a variety of questions awaited her. She could smell the strong coffee Zexion had brewed in her absence and was thankful for it; she could use a cup of it right now. Her eyelids felt heavy and her head hurt something horrible because of all the stress, she assumed. It wasn't like her to simply let things go, to let things just slide by her without notice or action. Sighing, she tried to prepare herself for the onslaught of attention she was about to receive the minute she walked into the living room. No more than 1 minute later had she entered the living room area when all eyes landed on her and Marluxia.

To his credit he seemed completely unfazed, simply nodding before proceeding to leave her there with everyone while he grabbed a nice cup of coffee. Larxene felt her eye twitch at this; what she wouldn't give for the entire pot of steaming roasted beans. Trying not to seem put-off or put-out, Larxene met eyes with the first person who met hers—a woman with long black hair and a doctor's coat. _'Well, at least it's good to know people aren't going to run screaming,'_ she mused. Sighing, she approached the rather large group of people, making a beeline for the woman who had pretty much invited her to speak. When she stopped right in front of the woman, she blinked but did not extend her hand.

"Hey. Who's in charge here?"

"Not that I'm surprised your already asking questions but I can guarantee you there is no one in charge. We're working as a team on your sister's case."

"And you are?"

"Dr. Tifa Lockhart, head of the Special Patient's Unit at Twilight Town Hospital. You must be Namine's sister, Larxene Isuki," the woman replied with an extended hand. When Larxene eyed it but made no move to return the gesture, Tifa let her hand fall back to her lap, indifferent. "Ms. Isuki, there are many questions we have for you in regards to your sister's case…and yours."

"How did you get a hold of my file?" Larxene was itching to know who managed to subpoena her records from her Step-father's cronies.

Tifa nodded towards a man adjacent to them with spiked blonde hair. Larxene recognized him as the man who had ordered her father out, an agent with the FBI. '_But why would the FBI be involved in this?_' Eyeing him warily, she turned her gaze to him. "And who are you?"

"Why don't we just do an introduction circle?" a voice chirped. Larxene's gaze shifted again to a young woman, her age or possibly a bit younger, with cropped back hair and scrubs. _'A nurse,_' Larxene realized. The young woman smiled though Larxene had yet to return such sentiments. "Hi, I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, R.N. to Tifa, Head Physician of the SPU at Twilight Town, as she mentioned. This is Agent Cloud Strife with the FBI. To my right," Yuffie pointed to a man with long silver hair and piercing green eyes like Riku's. "This is Attorney Kosaka with the Private Kosaka Law Offices of Traverse and Twilight Town. This is his Executive Assistant, Aerith Gainsborough. We're all here to assist you with Namine's case."

She stared at them, their faces and names registering in her head before she glanced at Attorney Kosaka. "How much is all of this costing? I'm not made of money, you know."

"Granted what I do know about you, Ms. Isuki, I'd say money is the least of your concerns in this case. Now, if no one minds, I'd like a moment alone with Ms. Isuki," Sephiroth replied.

She blanched as his "team" nodded and departed to the outside of the mansion, most likely to go over information. Xigbar and Luxord moved into the kitchen with Zexion and Demyx to drink coffee. It seemed she was all alone with him, and a young man who looked remarkably like him but whose name she did not catch. She was about to rebuke his request when someone came to stand next to her. For a split second she thought it was Axel but when she turned to the side she found Marluxia staring down at her, a cup of coffee between them.

"You looked like you needed this," he said, eyes blank as she accepted it. He quickly sat down on the couch across from Sephiroth and the unknown man.

"Um…thanks," she replied as she too took a seat beside him.

"Ms. Isuki, you are comfortable with this young man in here, yes?"

She nodded. "I can't make him leave. He'll just…it's fine," she answered and took a small sip of the burning liquid.

"And who is this, if I may ask?" Marluxia's velvet voice broke through the silence.

Sephiroth gestured towards the man. "Ah, yes, Marluxia Shimoto…this is my associate, and brother, Yazoo Kosaka. He will be assisting me on this case, along with the people Ms. Kisaragi introduced to you. We will be conducting a thorough investigation into Mr. Sumitse's financial records, business ventures and personal background. There is…a lot that must be in order before we can proceed to take such a case to Court."

If Marluxia was surprised Sephiroth knew his name he did not show it. "What's in it for you?" Larxene's solemn whisper broke through his speech.

"Pardon?"

She shot him an irritated, despairing glare. "I said, what's in it for you? I haven't been given any information on the cost of this, or why you're doing this in the first place. Hell…I don't even know how that FBI agent was able to subpoena my files from…" she paused and looked away. "You don't know…he has spies everywhere, even in the FBI. He's got his hands in everyone's pockets from here to Traverse Town and then some. How…how did he get my file from Dr. Vexen?"

"How Agent Strife managed to retrieve your personal medical file, Ms. Isuki, is a mystery even to me. But I would not discredit these people before you've given them a chance. They excel in what they do," Sephiroth's voice held confidence. "And even Sumitse cannot hide forever behind his Corporation and money, his lies and deceit. I am truly sorry for what you and your sister have gone through, but you have my word that we will make this right."

"Your word…?" She appeared incredulous and Marluxia could feel it reverberating off her in waves. He nodded again. "I'm afraid I can't accept your word until…something changes. All those before you have failed."

"And do you have anything you'd like to say, young man?"

Marluxia raised a brow. "Should I have something to add to this interlude? If so, I have yet to discover what it is. I, unfortunately, cannot say that I completely trust you. However, it seems your intentions are good so I will go along with this, as you say. I can't help but wonder…what makes you pursue this case so…fervently, Mr. Kosaka."

"Whatever my personal reasons may be are quite irrelevant, as I'm sure you understand. Please return when you've made your decision."

The statement left no room for further interrogation, not that Larxene was the least bit interested. In fact, she preferred if she could go back to her room and crawl in a hole, far away from everyone's prying eyes. Whether Marluxia decided to harass her further in this endeavor, she could care less for his choices. Sighing, she stood, coffee in hand and began to walk away. She didn't wait for a reply, a halting response and such, content to simply disappear within the confines of her room. She could vaguely hear Marluxia bid a hasty although extremely polite departure as she ascended the staircase in time to run head-on into Axel. She was about to retort when she felt a hand gracefully steady her wobbling coffee mug. Shooting the brown-haired man a glare in thanks, she returned her stare to Axel, eyes unreadable. Her red-haired roommate simply raised a brown before gesturing to the room behind them where it was considerably quiet given the amount of people in her entire house, and Namine's prior tears.

"She's asleep. Roxas and Riku got her calmed down enough. I have Roxas in agreement about you needing to spill your secrets sooner or late, lightening bug," he answered pointedly. At her eye roll Axel grinned, all teeth. "In the meantime, pretty little girl, I'll leave you to your newest…companion."

Without another word the pyromaniac vanished around the staircase banister just as Marluxia's hand was on the small of her back, ushering her into her bedroom. Normally she would've protested but at the moment, she was too busy devising ways in which to castrate Axel. In the solitude of her room Larxene leaned against the wall nearest to her bed, coffee mug still in hand as she waited for Marluxia to do something, anything. He glanced around a couple times, taking in the atmosphere, before nodding.

"Your living situation seems cozy enough despite your obvious lack of decorative talent, and pension for dramatic surroundings," he mused. She was about to snap at him when he raised a hand to silence her. "It's my form of a compliment, Miss Larxene. Nothing more, nothing less, I promise you."

"Funny how your compliments always rub me the wrong way and make me want to kill you," she muttered in response. "So." She shifted her weight as she moved towards her bed. "While I don't really need your opinion to proceed with my grand plan of murdering my step-father…what do you think about all of this?"

"I believe Mr. Kosaka will do everything he can to help, whether for us or his own reasons. It matters not. However, I would agree that working together will be a far better method to accomplishing your goals than running in like a wild animal…" she glared at him; he smirked. "Or like a savage nymph."

"You pet name is starting to annoying me, flower."

He smiled arrogantly. "Then that makes me wish to say it even more, precious nymph."

Larxene's cheeks felt hot as she stared at him, his gaze unwavering to match hers. Her thoughts kept replaying the evening on sunset hill, an evening where her drug habit had allowed her guard to fall. That night Marluxia had seen a side of her she'd worked hard to hide, worked like a dog to seal away within the recesses of her heart. But that night, too, she had seen a side of him she doubted many people had, or did even now. She could remember his fingers on her skin, his hand cradling her head even through the hazy, fogged consciousness provided by her weed laced world. She wanted to let go. He made her want to stop pretending, to stop fighting. '_No…I can't. If I ever do…_' she watched while he leaned back against the wall across from her. '_I can't until this is over…I need to end this before…anything changes._' She promised herself that she would keep her façade—was that was it was now?—until her step-father was dead and buried six-feet under.

"You're infuriating…"

He raised a brow. "Oh? How so? I can't imagine what I've done that could make you feel in such a way. I've only done my part in addressing your lack of cooperation and the prideful manner in which you carry yourself. Any self-respecting person wouldn't deny such an opportunity as Attorney Kosaka is offering. I would think common sense would rule in this case."

"Your arrogance fits you well, I guess," she answered with a lack of venom that Marluxia found unsettling; even in the short time he'd known her. "I don't suppose that you ever have nicer things to say."

"To the likes of you, Miss Larxene? No, I'm afraid I do not. The lack of ability to compromise that you've sustained puzzles me." His delicate features took on a look of true confusion. "In all my years of meeting strangers…you are by far…the most complicated."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Complicated? I would have to disagree. If anything, I'm just…ordinary."

"Far from it, if I had to be completely honest," he refused to accept her explanations, vague as they were. "I believe that your façade covers up a lot more than you reveal, especially to those who do not know you, or cannot see through the visage." She blinked, the corners of her eyes tensing when he hit too close to home on the topic. His smile widened though now it was slightly rueful. She didn't understand. "I've never been one to mince words, dear Miss Larxene, but I will say that I've always been good at reading people. And while I will, begrudgingly, admit that I have had some troubles with you…" he paused, to which Larxene leaned towards him a bit on her mattress, truly curious. "I will find out more; you can count on that."

She blanched, cheeks reddening slightly at this statement. Whatever his reasons were for wanting to know her didn't seem to revolve around strictly business. Then again, no man had ever been allowed as close to her as he had now become. It was dangerous for her and she refused to let him ruin her chances of revenge, no matter how handsome he was. '_Beauty is only skin deep…his looks will get me killed. His charm will throw me off track. Ignore him, Larxene_.' He had turned away from her, the side profile of his face handsome in the flickering lighting of her room. Cursing in her head, Larxene shook the thought away before standing. He brought his sapphire gaze back to her and Larxene had to put more effort into not faltering at the way his eyes pierced her own. Waving away his previous confession, she reached for the pack of cigarettes on her makeshift lamp desk, setting the coffee down as well.

"Whatever…fine, we go along with it. I will do it. But I reserve the right to go rogue at any time I feel like it, understand?"

Marluxia nodded. "I won't tell a soul, then, Miss Larxene."

She scowled in reply. Seconds later she could hear bustling downstairs. "Guess we better go talk to that Attorney again." Marluxia nodded, again. "Well…let's get going Flower."

Meanwhile, downstairs, Yazoo was trying to calm down Riku who had descended the stairs with an annoyed look on his face. "What is the matter, brother?"

Riku scowled. "Kairi is sick again and Lexaues is out of town. I can't go right now…" he glanced back towards the upstairs part of Larxene's mansion. "Roxas and Axel are going to do some…recon with the guys. And I don't want to leave Namine alone."

"She's sleeping, is she not? I think she'll understand if you need to check on your best friend," Yazoo replied while shuffling through a stack of papers Sephiroth had handed to him. When Riku didn't answer the other man looked upwards. Riku's expression was torn, and Yazoo smiled. "Brother, stay with your friend. I will check on Kairi in about an hour, alright? Sephiroth should be fine with this, yes?" At their oldest brother's nod, Yazoo gave his younger sibling a sympathetic, reassuring clap on the shoulder. "Go upstairs and keep watch. I'll call you in the morning." Yazoo watched as his brother disappeared from sight before turning to the oldest Kosaka. "You have my word for another hour brother, and then I will leave."

Sephiroth agreed. "Are you sure it's wise that you go over there?"

Yazoo laughed. "Brother, really now. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

Larxene sat on the chaise, picking at her nails with feigned deep interest as Marluxia conversed with Attorney Kosaka. Both men seemed to be having a heated discussion on methods revolving around "bringing KH International down" or to justice, as it had been put before. The aggravation rising in her body left little room for actual receptive listening, which was why Larxene was not really involved in the conversation; she'd all but blow-up when it "took too long" for her standards. Planning wasn't really in her vocabulary, let a lone waiting around for other people to help solve an issue. She was a classic "act first, ask questions later" kind of girl, which never seemed a problem before, until she met him. Marluxia had a nasty habit—she recently decided—of ruining all her previous methods and raining on her grand parade of sadism. It wasn't that she was about to give up such a part of who she was, but rather she would have to let it take the back burner in certain instances, like now, when he was talking with Sephiroth when she'd rather being ripping the shit out of Seifer's ribcage. Letting out a heavy sigh she resigned herself back to the confines of the chaise, her nail beds showing wear and tear from her constant picking and mutilation of her skin. '_How much longer is this going to take? I'm going crazy sitting here._'

"It shouldn't take too much longer, I'd imagine, Miss Larxene."

The haughty voice of their newest addition, Graceful Assassin or not, did nothing to appease the rage simmering just underneath the surface of her slowly ebbing patience. Nodding stiffly, Larxene continued to pretend as if this whole "patience" concept did not bother her, when, in fact, she'd rather send the entire idea to hell just so she could stab Sumitse in the throat all pretty-like. The fact that Marluxia seemed to know what she was feeling was eerie enough. If she didn't know better she'd be sure he had eyes in the back of his head and was staring her down where she sat. However, when she glanced up again, it was not surprising she found nothing there but his long, shiny chestnut hair, every strand perfectly placed. It made her want to gag, how much he primped and how much she, as a female, did not. She didn't necessarily believe in stereotypes but she would be lying if she didn't think they applied on certain occasions. Sighing, she waited—albeit very impatiently—for them to get moving, for anything. She hadn't heard any noise from her fellow housemates, a signal which usually meant Roxas and Axel had made progress with Namine, though she never doubted that they did. She had overheard Riku say that her two friends were going to do strategic planning with Demyx and Zexion, which meant that Namine had indeed fallen asleep in Roxas' room, and Riku had rejoined her following Axel and Roxas' departure. Though she would never admit it to anyone other than herself, Larxene was happy for Namine, happy that, despite what had occurred; her sister was able to find comfort in Riku. Larxene was happy that Riku still liked her even with all that had happened. In fact, if not for mere happiness, Larxene begrudgingly admitted, to herself alone, that she was even jealous of her little sister.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been happy. As of the last few years, the only thing that made her happy was the thought that she might be able to torture her step-father as he had done so to her for years, and eventually kill him with some choice options she'd concocted over the years. It gave her a sick sadistic pleasure to think she might be able to do this soon as she'd been waiting for over 5 years. The worse yet was that she knew where he was and it made her fingers itch in anticipation. The whole red-tape and paperwork process only slowed things down and made for lengthy, drawn-out revenge plots that never seemed to occur. It made her angry. And most of all, anger turned into sadness, forlornness, a somberness that reached to the depths of Larxene's soul and made her want to break down into a useless puddle of tears.

But such a luxury was not allowed.

Those around her couldn't see, wouldn't see. When she was younger, she distinctly remember Cora's sorry excuse for parenting, recalling all the times her mother would remind her that Larxene was lucky and had nothing to complain about as a young girl. Larxene made a nasty face at the back of Marluxia's head as she recalled a particular moment in her 15 years that made her want to slap Cora across the face.

* * *

"_Larxene dear…I cannot understand what you're whining about. You're simply so lucky that you now complain about useless, fleeting moments which have no consequence and are of no real importance. They're simply small issues in the bigger scheme of my life and your father's."_

_The young blonde was fuming as she watched her mother pace back, two and fro, as if the older woman was irritated with the entire situation. No idiot to her mother's antics, Larxene rolled her eyes. She may not have had an urgent problem but as Cora's daughter, she at least expected some empathy from her mother. Rolling her eyes, the blonde scowled. "Mother, you act as if we were always rich. Last time I remember, it was only last year that we were living in a 1 bedroom apartment with you unemployed and dad struggling to make ends meet. I hardly think you can act as if this change is no issue whatsoever. Namine and I are having a hard time adjusting to this. Can't you understand that?"_

_Cora narrowed her eyes at Larxene from her spot by the window. "No, I can't. You have money now. You should be grateful to Mr. Sumitse."_

"_Why? Father's hard work is what got us here, not that scumbag of an attorney."_

_The anger in her mother's eyes couldn't have been normal, Larxene surmised. "Don't speak about Mr. Sumitse that way. If he hadn't given your father the offer to join the Sumitse Firm then we would still be poor. Be more thankful. Besides, he is joining us for dinner this week and I need you girls to be on your best behavior. Really now, Larxene, swallow your pride and be accepting of what we have now. That you cannot see your friends anymore is not something you should be so upset about now. They're probably very jealous of you now that we live in upscale Twilight Town. Don't most of them live in Traverse Town anyway?"_

_Larxene dug her fingernails into the chair she was perched on, eyes blazing. "Mother…you're missing the point. This isn't about my friends so much as me not liking this new living style. Can't you at least TRY to understand that?"_

_Again Cora rolled her eyes at what she deemed to be an unnecessary complaint from her eldest daughter. "Really, that's enough now, Larxene. Now, go upstairs and speak to Namine. Dinner will be served soon."_

_If feeling defeated was her number one feeling then it definitely matched. Larxene huffed in annoyance as she made her way towards the door to her mother's study—Cora didn't seem to notice the irritation in the room. Slamming the door didn't even have much of an affect on the woman as Larxene stomped her way towards her little sister's room. Instead she made a sharp right and entered her own room. She had felt the tears coming, brimming at her eyelids as she ascended the stairs. It made her fill with shame as she collapsed on her bed, the tears falling, sliding down her cheeks in small rivers. Embarrassment wasn't something the young blonde wore well and she fought like hell to maintain the image that her mother's words hadn't felt like needles stabbing her heart. The coldness in which Cora spoke to her, the aggravation in her mother's voice drove her to tears—anger, hurt, betrayal. Nothing had changed, and everything had. She would love to blame it all on Mr. Sumitse but her mother played an active role in pretending like she cared about her family, then shunning them and mistreating them behind closed doors. Larxene wasn't really sure how Phillip, her father, put up with it. It made sense now, she thought. It was no wonder Namine never came out of her room other than for mealtime and family parties. Her sister was a perfectly emotionless little doll that Cora molded to be pliant, obedient and without opinion. Fortunately, Larxene hadn't been fed the same lies or forced into the same role, thanks to her father. However, as time passed she could see the gap between her parents grow wider and wider, and it made her complacent and somber. _

_In fact, she now realized she spent more than moderate amounts of time crying and breaking things—most of her fine jewelry had been smashed into fine powder. The useless pieces of decoration held little to no meaning for her when her world had been warped and her mother had been completely brainwashed into a false sense of security. Or at least this is what she felt had happened. A number of her personal possessions had been destroyed in her random fits of rage, most of which resulted in her having to hide everything from her mother's prying eyes. Larxene knew that things were not right in her world due to some unknown factor but Cora did a superb job of making the young girl feel like she was crazy. Wiping her eyes, she settled back into the pillows atop her bed as she heard Namine's door open, then close shortly after. She could hear the padding of her little sister's footsteps pause right before her door; it was short lived when the young girl continued on past Larxene's domicile. Sighing in relief, she was barely leaning back on her pillows when she heard footsteps storming upstairs followed by her bedroom door being thrown open. She gasped as she came face to face with her mother whose face was set in a mask of disdain. Cora pointed an accusing finger at her daughter._

"_How dare you tell your father I've been mistreating you!"_

_Larxene blinked in surprise for a moment before realizing her mother was truly angry. Not one to back down from such a demonstration of rage, Larxene hopped to her feet in front of her mother. "Me? How dare you lie to him and pretend like you aren't being a terrible mother!"_

_Cora paused, aghast for mere seconds when her face turned scornful. "My…Larxene…are you crying?"_

_The young girl's eyes widened in question and confusion. "So what if I am?"_

_Cora's smirk became cold. "Crying is for those who are weak, and not becoming of one known as my daughter." Making her way to exit the blonde haired girl's room—Larxene was too stunned to reply—Cora threw one last biting comment over her shoulder. "Weakness is unbecoming of you, dear. Now, clean up your face before Mr. Sumitse gets here. I don't want him thinking I have such a crybaby as my daughter."_

* * *

Snarling, Larxene bit her tongue to fight back the unshed tears that threatened to fall from her eyelids. It seemed that reminiscing about the past only served to make her angry or sad, neither of which emotions helped her when trying to bring down an entire corporation full of corrupted old men. But, now as she thought about it, such a luxury would've been nice, especially when she was feeling completely drained from her constant battle to keep up her stone-faced façade. Truth be told, she was exhausted when it came to maintaining a demeanor of anger and distaste for all those around her. Such a feat had been easily accomplished before her world has been turned upside down, the silence disrupted by the recent events and recent persons who had barged into her silent, still abode of thoughts. Marluxia's entrance was—she'd be the first to say—unwelcome. He upset the balance her life had come to know and it frustrated her to know that someone so mysterious, a complete stranger, had managed to throw everything off kilter and destroy all that she had fought to rebuild, everything she had carefully constructed in the name of protection. He got under her skin like no other and he had even managed to tear down the barriers of her friends. As it stood now, it seemed like Namine liked him very much. Even Axel and Roxas appeared to have warmed up to him, if even a little. The fact that Demyx didn't seem too keen on getting rid of him anytime soon pissed her off as well. It meant that everyone else had turned their backs on her, abandoned her decision to keep him as an outside. And now it was too late.

He was here, and she had the feeling that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

'Damn it all,' she thought bitterly. She was still picking her nails when she felt his haughty, arrogant glare upon her. Raising her eyebrows, Larxene shot him a dirty look. "What?"

"It would please you to know, Miss Larxene, that we have a plan now."

She glanced around, taking quick note that Attorney Kosaka was no longer present. "Where'd the lawyer go?"

"Mr. Kosaka has left to retrieve some more paperwork from his office." Larxene looked up into the firm but friendly face of Tifa. "Miss Isuki, can we please speak for a moment?"

Sighing, she consented, surprised at how easily she was letting people push and order her around. She gestured, lamely, to the chair across from her. Marluxia had yet to move and she didn't ask him to leave, which unsettled Tifa. The blonde noticed. "Problem, Dr. Lockhart?"

"I have no problem as long as what I say is okay being overheard by this young man," Tifa replied comfortably as she pointed to Marluxia. The young man looked too intrigued for Larxene's liking but she didn't bother to ask him to leave; he'd probably just tell her to fuck off. Shaking her head, Larxene looked back at Tifa and nodded. "Well, then, I will only ask you a few questions. I'm sure you've had a very long evening and I can assure you, this process will only become longer. That said…I have to as you…how long did you know Dr. Vexen before he became your primary care physician?"

Larxene blinked. "You're joking, right?" When Tifa's expression didn't change, the young woman gritted her teeth. "I didn't know him before I was 15. After that, he was made my primary physician by my step-father. Why does it fucking matter? Why ask me a question like that? You have my file. I don't see the need for questions."

Tifa was not derailed by the animosity shooting forth from her mouth and pressed onward. "Miss Isuki…how much would you say you knew about him?"

She shrugged. "Not much. I just know he was a corrupted bastard of a doctor, and he was a pervert. He never touched me but it's not like my step-father would've allowed it, the sick fuck. Dr. Vexen was a twisted man who used children for his experiments. He used to have a thing for this one boy who seemed to react well to the serums he constructed but…" she looked away suddenly, avoiding Marluxia's eyes as the chestnut haired man's widened in realization. "The boy eventually died. Before that…the boy would remain in a steady state; there was no improvement, there was no decline. He just…was Vexen's favorite. I don't know much else…I never wanted to."

"Jacob was…his…"

"Stepping stone to a new pharmaceutical drug…a drug that would make him rich, a drug that would change KH international into the leading medical and pharmaceutical consortium that it is today," Tifa finished quietly. Seeing their young faces made her cast hers down. "I'm…I'm so sorry for what's happened. I promise you…we will fix it."

"You're too late," Larxene supplied hollowly. "Nothing anyone can do, not you, Kosaka, or even I will bring back my parents." She looked at Marluxia. "Or his brother…or all the families and children that perished." Standing suddenly, she started towards the door. "I have to go. Excuse me."

Marluxia and Tifa watched her exit the living room, her destination made known at the signal of a slammed front door to their right. Tifa smiled forlornly. "No…I suppose you're right." Glancing at the brown haired man sitting to her left, Tifa smiled kindly. "Aren't you going to go after her?" Marluxia blinked, perplexed. "She may not look it, for all her hard exterior…but she probably needs someone right now."

He nodded. "I will need your assistance with some wounds as a result, Dr. Lockhart. I hope you will be available. If she asks, I will blame this entirely on you as Doctor's orders." Tifa nodded in return, her smile still evident.

Outside, Larxene had walked down the path through her gate and into the open forest. She was leaning up against a tree, her nails digging painfully into her palm as the tears began to fall—one, two, then three, then more. Seconds later she was a sobbing heap, curled up behind some bushes out of sight, trying desperately to stop the signs of weakness from showing should anyone walk by. It was with great distress that she became slightly unaware of her environment and did not hear footsteps coming towards her. By the time she realized what was going on, a finger was gently brushing the rivulets away. Gasping, Larxene's knives were at this throat, even as he gazed down at her, face emotionless and finger still resting against he wet skin.

"So…you do cry after all, don't you, nymph?"

Blushing to the roots of her hair, the shock set in so strong Larxene found she could not move so frozen from the sheer surprise. Marluxia took the opportunity to raise her from her fetal position, bringing her to her knees as he too knelt before her, hands steadying her shoulders. Her kunais had slipped from her grasp, resting immobile on the floor as she struggled for words. His sapphire eyes shone brightly in the moonlight, his slightly tanned skin silvery beneath the beams of light that made him seem unreal. She knew she was still in severe shock at being caught mid-emotional breakdown but she couldn't control herself. The tears kept falling and he wasn't laughing, he wasn't scorning her. In fact, he was simply looking at her as he always did. Able to finally find her voice, Larxene opened her mouth after what seemed like an eternity.

"You…I…why you…"

Smiling quietly, a hint of mischief and grace on his lips, Marluxia raised a finger to her lips, a sly smirk now replacing his indifferent mien. Her eyes widened as he leaned forward, lips stopping right before hers. Panic set in and Larxene froze again, losing herself. 'Shit…what do I do now?'

* * *

(Oh wow…this was okay. I'm not super proud of it, mostly the ending that is. But I did like writing some of the other parts. And…yeah. So…thank you for reading, for reviewing, for being awesome and having faith. Love you all. Peace out, until next time, which I can't promise won't be long…I hope.)

_Sadistickunais_


	17. Kinesics

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Chapter 17, which is rather uneventful, is here. It was fun to write and it is shorter than the other chapters but we're getting closer to our goal. Just wanted to give you all something, not to mention that now there will be more awkwardness to ensue. Lots of feelings. Thanks to those still reading.**

**Word coding:**

'_Thoughts'_ & **"**Speaking**"**

_Random flashbacks or other stuff _& Everything else

* * *

Kinesics

To say that Larxene was surprised was a complete understatement. In fact, she was completely livid. She had seriously thought he was going to kiss her there in the middle of the forest, underneath the moonlight—a rather romantic setting, if she decided to admit it. But, as always it seemed, he managed to catch her off-guard. Instead of kissing her like she thought he might, Marluxia had simply chuckled before smoothing back her hair again and pulling her to her feet. He had quickly bent down to retrieve her kunai before she had time to properly process what had just occurred. It made her blood boil to know that he had witnessed her in such a state—no one ever had before. Grinding her teeth to stop herself from smacking him as he rambled on to Zexion and Roxas about the finer details of their recon mission, Larxene was barely able to contain herself. To her side Axel was whistling a low, merry little tune that was driving her insane, and that she was sure was being done on purpose to aggravate her. With Axel, it was always hard to tell his intentions. She turned to him in utter aggravation, wanting more than anything to throw the knife in her hand straight into his temple.

He smirked at her from the corner of his eye, which infuriated Larxene even more. It wasn't supposed to but she sure as hell couldn't understand why it did. She found herself wanting nothing more than to bash his head in but such displays would surely only cause more trouble than it was worth. Dragging herself away from Axel and his annoying habit, Larxene found herself standing behind Marluxia as he discussed the finer points of their impending espionage mission, as Zexion had named it, much to her dismay. More than anything she was on edge, urging to stab something or someone—most likely Marluxia. He had a bad habit of being in her way, or just being in general. Coincidentally he also had a terrible habit for besting her in about 90% of these interludes and she was beyond being shown up or bested. Muttering obscenities internally, Larxene spun away again, refocusing her eyes on Axel's form. He was still humming that annoying tune and she was now more than sure he was doing it just to piss her off because he was continually eyeing her while he whistled.

Larxene was about to storm out of the room when she felt a masculine hand on her shoulder; she ventured a guess as to who it was. Inclining her head back slightly, she somewhat acknowledged that Marluxia was trying to catch her attention. "What?"

"When will you be ready to set this plan in motion?"

She smirked. "I've been ready for years. Say the word." He gave her a skeptical look to which she snarled at him. "What? I'm serious."

"The fact that I know you're serious is what frightens me more, Miss Larxene," he said while eyeing her warily.

She bristled. "I told you not to call me that!"

"Yes…I do seem to vaguely recall you making such a request. It must have, sadly, slipped my mind," he replied with an air of arrogance that only he could make look elegant.

'_What a bastard_,' she mused to herself as she turned away from his intent gaze. "Yes well, why don't you try using that thing you have, called a memory you asshole. Next time, you'll have one of my knives imbedded into your brain!"

He seemed completely unfazed by her threats, which she suspected he was completely immune to by now. Nevertheless it agitated her that her words had no effect on this stranger. Sighing, she settled into her usual hostile stance, waiting for more information, which Marluxia seemed to have no problem sharing.

"It would seem as though Zexion has devised a plan that is thorough as well as bullet proof, to use modern laymen's terms," he answered, demeanor unreadable.

Larxene strongly resisted the urge to roll her eyes or punch him straight in the nose; but the lingering thought of Namine caused her to pause, suddenly taking in the remaining people as if they were truly aliens. How she had gone from only knowing a few people for years to a ton of people in weeks to months was something far beyond her mental grasp at the time. She had spent so many years alone, so many years secluded and non-existent to the rest of the world that it seemed odd that she suddenly know more than Axel and Roxas. The fact that she knew Demyx and Zexion was hard enough as it had taken plenty of time to get adjusted to that sudden change in audience. But now there was him, and this band of righteous do-gooders who wanted to help her, to save her and Namine when she didn't feel like she needed any kind of saving. The fact that she already dealt with Riku and his family, Roxas' friends and such invading her life made it like a soap opera drama she was all but ready to keep around.

Marluxia looked utterly bored, as if waiting for a response. She blinked. "Did you say something?"

"I asked, Miss Larxene, if you were going to accompany your companions on their outing later. It seems as though your friends would like to do some things together before it is time to set this plan into motion," he replied, apathetically.

She blinked again. "So then we do have a day or whatever, that this is supposed to start?" He nodded. "And that's what? 2 days from now?"

"We would really like to start as soon as possible. Tomorrow seems a good time to set this plan into motion, don't you agree?"

Larxene's eyes narrowed as Zexion stood before her, Demyx looking uncomfortable next to him. "Don't you think that's a tad too reckless and too short of planning, even for you?"

Demyx nodded his agreement, albeit fearfully. "Zexion, really…this is pushing it, even for you."

Larxene threw Demyx a scornful look while Marluxia turned away, aggravated. "I think we need at least a few days to iron out any plan, scheming abilities aside."

Zexion rolled his eyes. "Look, novices…I know my capabilities and they do not, never have, and never will, involve failure. I don't suppose any of you were going to bother asking how the plan was devised, what it entails, who will do what and when, etc, were you?" Larxene gave him a sour look, to which he simply scowled. "I will be more than willing to layout everything for you. I would hate to ruin my flawless records with the likes of amateur scheming."

She would've been offended if it had been any other person but she was used to this by now. Never mind the fact that his words chapped her ass anyway, but she waved him away in complete irritation. Zexion nodded, understanding that this was a good sign from the temperamental woman to proceed with the details of their idea. Whether she was listening or not was up to her and the lavender haired youth could care less as this was not exactly something he had suggested they do. But if Demyx was going to involve himself so heavily in the affairs of Larxene and his best friend from the past—which it seemed the musician would with a ferocity that told Zexion there was no turning back—then the lover in him would not deny his aid. Nevertheless, though he did not doubt his ability to construct flawless, bulletproof plans, he couldn't say that the participants wouldn't ruin it for him. Sighing, he continued droning on with the intricacies required to complete the mission with thorough smoothness, to which Larxene raised her brows, glanced over the said participants and smacked her head with fervor.

"You're fucking kidding, right? There is NO WAY in hell you can send the fag boys on a recon mission. Axel will blow our cover within minutes, especially if Roxas is in camouflage!" She spat.

Upon hearing his good name being soiled, Axel stomped over to him, his love forgotten, and descended upon the lighting bug with narrowed eyes, flared nostrils, lips in a scowl and a flaming read mane. "Excuse me but I am excellent at recon, which is more than anyone here can attest to about your fucking awful subtlety skills, bitch!"

Rolling her eyes at his blatant attitude Larxene began speaking again. "What the fuck ever, flame boy. Why wasn't I included anywhere in there? I am the main person, fuck."

Zexion smirked. "Simply put…you were not included because this is merely phase one. You're part of phases two and three."

She scowled. "Hey, you didn't mention shit about 3 phases."

Now it was Marluxia's turn to wax aggravation at her. "Listen, nymph, it is imperative that you do as instructed otherwise this entire plan will fall into the depths of oblivion and you will have lost your only chance at righting a terrible wrong, understand?"

"Look, flower boy, no one tells me what to do. I'm sure as hell not going to wait around for these gay boys to dictate orders to me like I'm so servant. This is my score to settle, am I clear?" She seethed at him.

"You're modes of flirtation, although altogether cute and unconventional, can be rather disgusting at times. Why don't you just make out already and save us all a headache?"

Larxene, had she been any other person, may have likely turned red as a cheery at Roxas' impromptu comment; but his opinions did little to phase her now. Instead she huffed and whirled away from Marluxia who, although his face was the same color as every part of him, could not hide the fact that his ears had turned an interesting shade of red underneath his chestnut hair, nor could he deny the sudden sweating of his palms. And if Roxas had been a complete stranger to constipated, immature emotions he wouldn't have been able to tell that these two were indeed embarrassed by his straight forward comment. In fact, he merely rolled his eyes and turned back to Zexion who was instructing that he and Axel do their recon as soon as night fell the next day. It was obvious by Larxene's previous outbursts that Sumitse had security cameras setup even in the surrounding forest-like area that concealed his mansion and underground lab, disguised cleverly by the white walls. If he and Axel were not to be seen they would have to utilize every piece of information she provided with them, as well as their own expertise as being invisible. After all, they had plenty where that came from. Escaping daily beatings was their specialty now. Regardless, Roxas knew that they had a hard, long road ahead of them and a night out before they start would be a nice way to prep. Whoever said relaxation was overrated had a serious case of concussions. Blowing out a breath, the young dirty blonde turned to look at his companions, eyeing the setting sun from the corner of his eyes.

"Hey, listen, do whatever you want to prep but Axel and I are going out tonight. I doubt we're going to have much free time in the near future." Axel, from his perch across the way, nodded enthusiastically, a devilish grin on his face. Roxas rolled his eyes at this. "What about you all?"

"Zexion and I will join you, if that's okay. It's been a while. What did you have in mind?" Demyx looked eager to be anywhere but Larxene's mansion.

Axel snorted. "Where else? Let's go get wasted and dance the night away at Club Nobody!"

"You are the biggest fucking slag," Larxene supplied, eyes showing aggravation. "Yeah, yeah…do whatever the hell you want. Just get out of my house already. I need some sleep."

"What are you going to do, Mar?"

The brunette shot him a dirty look before starting to walk towards the front door. "None of your business, you Cretans."

Moments later he was gone from their sight. The rest of the group just shrugged as Demyx and Zexion left, informing Roxas and Axel that they would return shortly after getting ready. Larxene ignored them as her two roommates made their way to the restroom to get ready as well. Now that she was finally alone, she realized that Namine was in the kitchen making tea though she hadn't heard the girl descend the creaky staircase. She was shocked that her little sister was even awake now, though when she searched further she found Riku standing not too far away perusing their tea selection, eyebrows creased. She decided to observe them for a moment, not sure what Riku was still doing around and how he had become so interested in her sister. She could pick up the remnants of idle conversation as Namine spoke softly to the other boy, who was smoking a cigarette and waving a box of spiced Chai tea at the young woman.

Namine smiled at Riku while he prepared them two cups of steaming hot milk. She had originally warmed up water but he had quickly convinced her to mix it with milk to make the Chai more like a tea latte than regular tea or straight latte. She liked the idea and had quickly complied; somewhat intrigued that Riku was even remotely domesticated. Didn't he have servants for that, kind of like she had? He had explained to her that his mother did not make that kind of money—money like his brother—and he helped his mom with all the household chores and affairs so she wouldn't have to work so hard. The more and more she learned about him, the more and more she realized she was totally in love with everything about him. To her side, Namine could see her sister lurking in the shadows of her peripheral. She felt a little guilty that Larxene felt that she had to watch Namine like a hawk; but the younger female was also aware that her sister's hyper vigilant nature had more to do with their past. The lingering fears that Larxene had suppressed had now come to fruition through Namine and the young blonde was no fool to think her older sister was just observing. She knew Larxene was watching Riku, scrutinizing his every move to ensure that no harm would come to Namine if her sister could help it. Sighing, the girl brought her attention back to the silver haired male fidgeting with his belt chain in an attempt to loosen the offending thing from his hips. She let out a soft giggle as he pulled a chair out for her to be seated.

They quietly sipped their Chai lattes, content with the silence. Namine was beginning to feel a little drowsy when she noticed Riku staring at her; her cheeks reddened. "Yes?"

"For the sake of normalcy and all that…what with everything that's happened…" he trailed as she glanced away, biting her bottom lip. Riku let out a heavy breath. "I like you, Namine." She returned her wide eyes to his. "Can I take you to the Prom, as your date?"

Larxene's ears perked up at this inquiry, hiding behind the adjacent wall. She'd almost forgotten that her sister was in high school and had a life outside the drama of their past. _'Of course! The damn prom is next week. What a time for all this shit to happen,' _she mused as she heard her sister almost choke on her latte. Namine's face had turned beet red, her ability to speak having vanished while Riku patiently awaited his companion's answer. _'Say yes, you dumb girl,'_ Larxene seethed. She didn't want Namine around while all their phases were put into place. _'No…that's not it…'_

"I…" Namine tripped over her words. "Riku, I…you're…sure? Wouldn't you rather do something else?" She gazed at his unchanging expression. "It's just that…you're in college…why you would…"

"What part of 'I like you' was missed? Isuki…for as smart as you are…this is kind of new. I like you. I want to take you. Do you want to?" His words were direct but his tone was soft with a hint of mirth under it. Larxene relaxed from behind her hiding place.

Namine nodded slowly. "Yes, I…I would like to."

Sensing that her sister would be fine now—and better without her around—Larxene made her way up the staircase to her bedroom where the silence that ensued was beyond welcomed. Her mind felt heavy and she wasn't sure if would actually get any sleep, which she found highly annoying due to the fact that she was craving sleep like a new drug. Her lack of sleep and terrible sleeping habits didn't help when it came to working things out in her head or maintaining sanity in situations that absolutely required it, like now. Her mind was weaving in and out of a traffic filled highway, going a million miles a minute trying to formulate and assess ideas for what was to come. What she did know for sure is that everyone would probably be out and about for the next few hours, maybe even well into the evening time so she could finally relax and let loose. Never sure what this actually entailed, tonight she strived to find something meaningful to do. _'Well, more meaningful than beating up my copy of the Marquis de Sade,'_ she thought warily. Her beloved book was stashed in the farthest corner of her room, scratched, torn and about as dilapidated as her house, which was crying for repair. In all her years of residing in it, she had barely lifted a finger to fix anything inside of it. Sometimes, when she was really bored or trying to make her mind stop pondering the past or deep thoughts, she would give the idea of redecorating or construction a chance to speak to her. However, more often than not she fell into a deep sleep during these times, which was always welcomed; or she became exasperated.

A couple times she had spotted Axel and Roxas repairing a thing or two—a broken light post, the kitchen counter, the nails in the wooden floorboards, the carpet, the list could go on—but she rarely ever participated, rather hoping they'd lay off the noise. _'No…that's not it either…'_ Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone but herself, Larxene believed the reason she did not assist her housemates with this task was because she was stuck in a past that reminded her of things she had before, and things she'd lost. Unlike most people who would want to move on quickly and indefinitely, Larxene found herself obsessed with the reminders of her misfortunate. She referred to it as sadism; a sickness she couldn't rid herself of even though she had tried. _'Not hard enough_.' Exacerbated by this current train of thought, she rolled over and stared at the bland, brown paint job, wishing it was a different color. She wished many a thing throughout her days but didn't voice these thoughts to anyone. Her mind was her biggest enemy, she told herself. It played tricks on her, made her see things that weren't there, made her do things she was opposed to doing. If Larxene had a heart, it was practically non-existent. Her greatest detriment, as she "lovingly" she referred to it. Sighing, she let her head hit the pillow in hopes that sleep would soon come take her.

* * *

The muggy but peaceful night enveloped Twilight Town, as always, in its dreamy hold, fooling everyone into a false sense of security and whimsical atmosphere. It was nights like this that made the blonde haired nymph feel particularly uneasy though try as she might, she couldn't always resist the lull that such a place had. Larxene sighed as she fell onto the couch in the living room as the moonlight filtered in through the partially opened window, letting in a somewhat humid breeze in as well. The day had been relatively loud, as usual. But there was something that had bothered her throughout the entire time she'd been with Axel and Roxas. In the end, Demyx and Zexion had refrained from coming with them, which was highly unusual for them, especially since the group hung out on a daily basis—at least 3-4 times out the entire week. Marluxia had been absent as well.

She snorted at this, trying to conceal her slight disappointment with laughter as she realized how dark and quiet the house was without its other occupants. Namine had gone to sleep over Kairi's, so Larxene assumed that her sister would be coming back the next day. Axel and Roxas had decided to stay out a little longer, something about going to Sunset Hill to spend some alone time together. This didn't surprise her too much since she knew they did this at least two or three times every month—and who wouldn't want some alone time with his or her partner? As for Demyx and Zexion, both had felt like staying in the night too, something about watching movies together and just "snuggling close," as Demyx had put it. She smiled, though it was tinged with a sadness she hadn't felt since she'd lost her parents. '_And here I am…all alone, as usual._' Sure, she wasn't a romantic by any means; but even the loneliest, meanest, most sadistic people needed some form of companionship, no matter how sick or twisted it might be.

She was just starting to doze off under the peaceful, soothing moonlight when her phone rang loudly, jolting her from her hazy state. Cursing, she gingerly picked up the contraption from its cradle. "Hello?"

"Larx, hey, it's me, Demyx," said a very groggy voice.

She nodded though he couldn't see her. "You sound like hell. If you were sleeping, why didn't you just keep doing that? I'm ok by myself, you guys know that."

A yawn was emitted from the other end of the phone line. "Yeah well…I wasn't worried, if that's what you're thinking."

She huffed. "Gee, thanks Demyx. You're such a great friend."

He yawned again, this time longer and louder than before. "Hm…anyways…are Axel and Roxas home yet?"

She shook her head. "No, why?"

"Well…Marluxia isn't home yet either and we just thought that maybe…he was with them?" Demyx's questioned left her puzzled.

"No," she replied. "I haven't heard from either of them."

"Ok, well…thanks anyway. Night." _Click._

She could only stare at the phone as if it had grown three heads and two pair of legs. _'What the hell? Demyx is so weird. Who cares if Marluxia is out with those two…they can all fend for themselves._' Growing irritated again, she put the phone back and resumed her sleeping position on the couch, glad to finally be able to relax. And suddenly the door downstairs was slammed, loudly. Cautious, she drew her knives, sitting up quickly as she listened for footsteps, fearing it might be her step-father's lackeys. When it was clear it was only one person, she relaxed a bit. At first she thought it was Axel or Roxas. But when the figure stepped into the doorway, she felt her eyes widen in shock as the figure was illuminated by the soft, silver light. Gaping, she took a step back, unsure. "Hey…Demyx called looking for you about two minutes ago. Maybe you should call him back?"

Marluxia said nothing as he nodded and began to approach her. Larxene took another step back as he came to a halt right before her, his sapphire eyes unreadable as he reached out a hand—too fast for her to react—and grasped her chin. His grip was anything but gentle; yet it wasn't iron-like or violent. It just was. Inhaling a shaky breath, Larxene looked up at him, light blue eyes somewhat fearful and annoyed as he continued to say nothing. She was about to open her mouth when he leaned a little closer to her, his face hovering a scant two inches above her own. "Larxene…there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Is that so?" She asked quietly though her tone gave nothing away. She let her knives flash in the pale beams of light from outside, allowing Marluxia to see them from his view. He nodded at this but did not relinquish his hold on her flesh. She flushed. "Where are Axel and Roxas? I heard you might have been out with them…" She trailed off when his other hand shot out; steadying her while the other lifted her chin with his fingers before grasping it completely in his palm, which was slightly cool against her own heated skin. She prickled. "What do you want from me? What are you trying to do?"

He smiled at the flicker of fear that ran through her eyes. "You're afraid."

"I am not!" She retorted heatedly. "You wish, you bastard. You'd just love that, wouldn't you, you sick asshole. I knew it…I tried to tell Demyx that you couldn't be trusted!"

He blinked at her statement before erupting into a fit of chuckles, his grip on her never loosening. She struggled a bit as he quieted down, the hand that had been under her chin slowly moving up her face before settling on smoothing back the wild wisps of hair that Axel loved to call her "antennae." It was her turn to blink, in confusion, as she looked up at him, not so much in fear as in puzzlement. He shook his head at her. "Of course I'd love that, and many other things." She was about to spit in his face when he leaned over slowly, his lips touching her ear, sending shivers up her spine. "But not from fear, Larxene. Not in fear. I want to hear you scream…" She tensed at his words, her shoulders stiffening as his breath sent warm chills down her spine. "My name, Larxene…in ecstasy."

She felt her own shoulders go slack as the last statement he'd made registered in her fear addled brain. '_What?_' She was finally able to look at him when he pulled back, the solemnest of smirks plastered on his finely chiseled lips. Larxene could do nothing but open her mouth as she fought for words to express herself. Seconds later, she managed the most intelligent word she could think to say. "Bastard…"

Marluxia's smirk widened two-fold as he leaned over, his lips millimeters from hers, before whispering, "I'll take that as my invitation to proceed, savage nymph."

She had no time to think as he claimed her lips with his own, his grip softening as his hand slid to her waist, bringing her closer, and pressing their bodies together until she thought they'd meld into each other. Larxene's mind could not operate as she felt his tongue prod against her bottom lip; she had yet to really react. Her face felt like it'd caught on fire when she realized her hand had tangled in his hair against her own accord. Gasping, she opened her lips to allow him inside as he pressed their mouths together, harder than she had expected. Somehow, she was enjoying it but a part of her was mad that he was the one in control. '_Perhaps…this is more like a game…_' she thought as she finally joined in, pressing her own lips against his in response, earning a small, surprised moan when her tongue grazed his teeth. _'Two can play at this game, flower boy.' _She felt herself pause for a quick instant. '_But it is just a game?_' She racked her brain for a reason to make Marluxia's advances seem like a sick, twisted game but she could find none as his hands moved down her back at an agonizingly slow pace. The rational but scared part of her mind was angry that she was giving into him, letting him have a part of her that hadn't been touched in ages by any person. But the other part of her refused to let him leave, refused to let him back out of what he had started. Her conflict threatened to be her undoing; but Marluxia gave her the answer she sought when she felt her back hit the wall. Puzzled, she removed a palm from his hair to make sure. Indeed, he had backed her up against a wall. '_When…?_'

Her mind searched desperately for an answer as to when he'd started pushing her; she hadn't been aware. She felt him break away, her lips feeling bruised and swollen, her breath coming in short pants. Silence reigned for but a moment when she felt his hand smooth back her hair again, stopping briefly to grasp the wisps of her hair, gently pulling her head back to expose the skin of her pale neck. Her eyes slid closed as she let out a short, breathy moan when his lips touched the sensitive skin at the base of her neck. Her hands rested on his shoulders as he continued his ministrations, slowly moving down her neck to her collarbone, nipping harshly with his teeth before soothing the agitated skin with his warm tongue. As for his hands, they had wandered somewhere down; one unzipping the lengthy zipper of her jacket while the other made quick work of pushing it off her shoulders, his lips never leaving his skin. Larxene barely registered that he had, somewhere during their interlude, discarded his top though she had no idea how or when. In fact, she was beginning to wonder whether he had really been wearing one in the first place since his chest was bare underneath her fingertips. He let out a small hiss as her fingertips touched his heated skin, tracing circle patterns everywhere she could touch. She was curious as she watched him let out a heavy, labored breath when her hands ventured further downwards and stopped right above the zipper of his denim jeans. But what had her in awe the most was how his breath hitched moment she unzipped his zipper and began pulling his pants down. For her, it was curiosity, uncertainty and marvel all in one, at how a man could be rendered so completely helpless when enthralled with sexual drive.

However, she had to admit that she relished in the way his face contorted in pleasure and anticipation when she slid her hands into his pants, running her fingers along the lining of his sapphire blue boxers. '_The color of his eyes…how strange…_' she noted as he grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back against the wall and stopping her torturous assault on his lower body parts. It was then that she looked up and met his gaze, which was so intense that she was taken aback, her mouth open but no words coming out. He breathed out. "Larxene…if you are not ready, if you are afraid…"

She bit her lip, not sure whether she should proceed with her knowledge or not, and bristling at his comment. "I am not afraid," she whispered, suddenly feeling bile rise in her throat. "I'm not so innocent."

"I think you are."

She laughed hollowly, at which Marluxia raised a brow, ceasing his ministrations. "Don't think so little of me, Marluxia. I know how to please a man better than you might think. In fact, I know so many things about sex it would make your head spin and have you come back begging me for more." He sighed, letting her shoulders go. She gave him a puzzled look. "What?"

"Part of me is glad that you are knowledgeable while the other part of me, the part that knows that isn't you." He paused. "I don't want the Larxene who thinks she needs to be a man's slave, the one who thinks she this is her duty, the one who thinks she has to and that this..." He trailed off, not finishing his last thought, a strange unreadable spark in his eyes. With that, he pulled up his pants and reached for his shirt and jacket. "Have a good night, Miss Larxene."

She watched, flabbergasted and in awe, while his figure vanished back in the night, her door slamming closed from the adjacent hallway. '_What…just happened?_' While her mind racked over the reasons why he suddenly left, she felt a tinge of pain in her chest, unlike anything she'd felt in a long time. She asked herself: isn't that what men wanted? Didn't he want to have sex, for her to please him, for her to do as he said? She fell to the couch, destitute and pondering his words. He had mentioned that he didn't want her as she was, didn't he? Something felt off about his words. They were foreign, they were not demanding, they were not coercing. In fact, for the most part, the little bit that they had done had mostly been at her pace. She had moved quickly.

"But isn't that what he wanted?" she asked the silence around her, eyeing the window with distrust. Hugging her arms, Larxene continued to sit there, troubled with the emotions swirling through her head and heart. No one had made her feel so unsettled before, except for the one man she vowed to kill. And he had abused every part of her, hurt her, and destroyed her. Marluxia made her feel strange but she had no other to compare the strange feelings to, and this irked her. Biting her lips, Larxene realized how alone she was in her mansion, in the moonlight, as a humid, summery rain began to drizzle and hit the window pane. Once again, she felt her walls crumble as the tears began to fall and everything around her and all sense lost its meaning.

* * *

The next day was irksome and quiet. Axel made a noncommittal noise to Roxas as the pair observed Larxene sleeping fitfully on the couch. When they'd arrived early the next morning they found her there, still asleep, and more or less unclothed. They quickly had covered her to avoid any unnecessary confrontation once she awakened. But needless to say it was an utter surprise to find her there in the first place, with the curtain drawn fully open at that. Having a pension for being a total recluse the image of her lying mostly naked by the open window was such a shock that Roxas had almost awakened her with his surprised squeak. Axel had silenced him before the damage could be done, thankfully.

Nonetheless, Axel and Roxas continued to stare at her, willing her to wake up, when they heard footsteps descending the stairs. Both men looked up in time to see Riku rubbing his sleep filled eyes with an equally groggy Namine in tow. This in itself was a new development to which Roxas shot Riku a warning look that Riku returned with annoyance and a snort. Axel nodded with a smirk, his eyes catching Namine's as a blush colored her cheeks upon the realization that Riku was holding her hand.

"What happened to her?"

Roxas was still glaring at Riku. "I think the bigger question is what're you doing here?"

"He slept over," Namine supplied nervously. "Everyone went out. We…I…didn't know Larxene was still here. It was so quiet and I didn't want to be alone…"

"Calm down Tanako," Riku snapped. "But seriously…what happened to her? I don't think I've ever seen her…well, naked or…asleep."

"She was naked?" Namine asked incredulously. Roxas and Axel nodded in confirmation. "Oh my…what was she doing? What happened?"

"Wish we knew that too," Axel replied with curiosity.

No one had a clue what had transpired with Larxene the night before; but they weren't eager to be there when she did awaken. Looking at each other, they all made their way to the kitchen just as she began to stir, pretending they hadn't even noticed her. When she came to, the head of the house felt her face flame at her lack of clothing. Whirling around she heard voices from the kitchen. _'Axel, Roxas, Namine…and Riku?'_ She blushed furiously, spotting her forgotten articles by the opposite wall, and made a mad dash to redress herself. Once back in her customary outfit she made her way to the kitchen doorway where she spotted them drinking coffee and snacking on pieces of toast smothered with a chocolate spread from the local store. She was tempted to ask if they had seen her and judging by the fact that she woke up with a blanket she had not remembered using, she assumed they had. However, no one said a word to her about it, instead sitting there sipping their coffee and making quiet albeit boring conversation. Sighing, Larxene decided it was best to just drop it and proceeded upstairs to her room to hide again. She had made it halfway up the stairs when the front door opened and voices echoed through the foyer.

"Hey everyone. We're back and ready for Recon!"

Larxene froze at the sound of Demyx's voice. She spotted him in the living room with Zexion as Axel joined them, laughing wildly at something the former had said. She couldn't see if Marluxia was there but doubted it after their encounter the previous evening. She was about to continue up to her room when she heard her name.

"What do you want?"

Namine's soft voice drifted into her ears. "Please come down. I made you a bagel. You need to eat."

She was about to retort when her stomach growled loudly; she realized she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. Sighing again, she gave her silent agreement and made her way back down the stairs. She was almost to the kitchen when she heard him. She paused mid-step as their eyes met. Marluxia's went from true alarm to notable indifference while hers went from genuine surprise to hardened annoyance within seconds. But neither of their facades recovered quickly enough as their friends caught sight of the exchange.

"Good morning, Miss Larxene," Marluxia replied, the tone of his voice giving nothing away though he remained a little rigidly glued to his spot.

Larxene bristled, her lips tightening visibly at the greeting. "Yeah, funny seeing you, Flower boy."

Axel exchanged a side glance with Roxas; Demyx stared agape while Zexion rolled his eyes. The awkwardness was so thick it could be cut with a knife and neither Larxene nor Marluxia could look at each other, turning away shortly after said greeting. The change and unusual interaction suddenly had everyone on edge as both the blonde and the brunette walked in opposite directions from each other without so much as a sarcastic or baiting remark. Larxene settled quietly into a chair while Namine served her a wheat bagel with cream cheese and a cup of scalding coffee. Marluxia secured himself by the window, admiring—whether truly or superficially was unknown—the lazy morning sunshine outside. Twilight Town was calm today despite the journey they were about to embark upon. Roxas leaned over to his boyfriend in true shock about what had just occurred.

"Hey…do you think they slept together?" He asked.

Axel almost choked on his own coffee. "No way, Roxie-bear. Larxene doesn't let anyone touch, let alone that creep. Besides, I swear he's gay!"

"Well, then how do you explain the awkward "morning after" air that's suffocating us in here?" Roxas replied back snappily.

"I surmise they may have started, but I doubt Larxene would have gone further than letting him get within an inch of her actual body," Zexion offered.

"How do you explain the half naked presentation we had earlier?" Roxas hissed.

"I didn't know she was naked!" Demyx's squeak was audible enough that Larxene should have looked up; but she seemed thoroughly absorbed in her coffee and bagel. The musician returned his attention to his friends. "What the hell is going on here? Mar never came home to our house last night and when I called here, he wasn't here either."

"Are you sure?" Zexion's inquiry was full of curiosity and disbelief all at once. "Was there any conformation that he never came here after that? The only fact we have is that he did not come back to our home."

Axel shot Marluxia a cautious look. "There is no way. He's just…she'd kill him. I'll admit that I thought they just wanted to fuck each other to high hell, what with all the heavy flirting they do but Larxene…" the red head's smile dropped. "She's too fragile…she barely even lets us hug her."

To the side, Marluxia felt beads of sweat and embarrassment accumulating on his palms as he listened to his friends discuss what had happened the night before. Did they thing he was unable to hear them? While it looked like Larxene legitimately could not or did not, he could make out everything they were saying. Some of it made him want to laugh; other parts irritated him to no end. He already knew how difficult it would be to keep up appearances after his interlude with the lady of the house; what he didn't count on was her obvious lack of control. It was as if overnight all she had built tumbled down. All the composure he too possessed had been gone the minute they locked eyes. The stale greeting he offered her moments ago was all he could do without revealing what had occurred. That added stress would only serve to annoy and distract from the greater task at hand. Resigning himself to beating Demyx senseless at the next given opportunity, the brunette continued to gaze out the window in feigned interest. In the background his friends kept their discussion going.

And in the kitchen, Larxene resumed her wayward thoughts about how her life had gone from manageable to utter shit within a few months. _'Everything I've tried so hard to maintain…all that work…gone, in an instant.'_ She mused bitterly as she drank her all black coffee, taking small bites from her bagel. Namine eyed her warily as Riku stepped outside to make a phone call. Larxene had never felt so emotionally trapped before, her mind, heart and body not quite processing why they hadn't finished what they'd started. It didn't register why they were acting weird now. All she knew was that when she locked eyes with him now, the blush rose to her face at an uncontrollable rate and her body caught on fire. Looking at the swirling, shiny film atop the liquid before, Larxene couldn't help but feel like everything had changed so quickly. And yet, nothing had.

* * *

_(I was a little more into this chapter, especially with this incident occurring right before the Recon Mission! And you know…it makes it awkward and throws everyone off. I'm kinda concerned it's starting to sound like a Soap Opera but there won't be repeat incidents of this kind of interaction. Just adds a little more complication between Marluxia and Larxene, woo! Next chapter: Recon and the Prom so…Recon Prom? LOL. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, for being awesome and having faith. Love you all. Peace out, and I will try my hardest for it not to be a thousand years.)_

_Sadistickunais_


	18. Revitalization

_Note to Disclaimers: I do not and never will own Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 or Chain of Memories so…please do NOT sue me. I have absolutely nothing to give you, should you decide to._

**A/N: Chapter 18, which is rather uneventful, is here. It was weird writing this chapter because it morphed into something odd, especially since I gave Kairi a highlight—wtf, right? I dunno…she need some drama otherwise her and Sora would perfect and that WON'T work. Don't worry—Riku and Namine are gonna have a BIGGER moment soon! We be getting close to the infiltration portion! Thanks to those still reading.**

**Word coding:**

'_Thoughts'_ & **"**Speaking**"**

_Random flashbacks or other stuff _& Everything else

* * *

**Revitalization **

Kairi shivered as Yazoo leaned in closer, his breath icy on her heated skin as she attempted to ignore the thoughts running through her head. He had only come to check up on her—at Riku's request—and now she wasn't sure if she could do with just that. His silver hair swayed as he gave her a look over, her skin on fire though she appeared pale and somewhat sickly from his position. He had no idea what he did to her. His emerald eyes shone with a genuine sense of concern as he reached for a cold compress in hopes to bring her fever down. She'd already taken a few aspirins in hopes to make it go down enough for her to function properly; it didn't seem to be working. Annoyed, Kairi tried not to let her guard down as he pressed the cool cloth to her forehead, his ministrations completely void of any sexual intentions unlike her own thoughts. Sighing, she sat up, bringing her knees to her chest before wrapping her thin, lithe arms around them in order to keep them from going elsewhere. However, when Yazoo turned to look at her, her resolve dissolved. He blinked in curiosity as she reeled away from him, the dripping cold cloth hanging between them like a slight question, his eyes in wonder. Kairi felt her cheeks flame; she felt somewhat exposed.

"Kai, I…sorry. It must be your fever…it's awfully hot in here and you need your rest…do you think you're well enough for me to go?" He seemed somewhat forlorn. "You just seem to need some…time, right, to rest?"

She'd had about enough of people telling her what to do, especially her Uncle. Sighing again, she grumbled out a small, low reply. "No…I…it's not that."

Yazoo rubbed his temple. "Listen, Kai…I think rest is best. Your Uncle wouldn't be happy if I kept you up late when just a half hour ago your fever was at 102. I think it's best if I go."

Letting out another grumble, she felt her lips form a scowl as the white haired male turned to leave. She barely had time to grab the hem of his long coat, yanking when she'd managed to grab a fistful of it. He halted immediately, whirling around to face her, his face a mask of bewilderment. Her fingers were itching in anticipation as she crawled towards him, somewhat awkwardly because she was slightly delirious—but she could give a shit. Once she'd reached him, she raised herself up until they were at eye level, her small hands curling around the collar of his coat. "I think it's best if you let me pick what's best for me, don't you think?" He nodded slowly, not quite sure where she was going. But she knew, and she didn't care how wrong it was or who she hurt—she needed to know something. He was about to open his mouth when she shook her head. And with that she crushed her lips against him, amazed at how the electricity seemed to jolt through her body, shocking even her. '_This…yes, this is what I wanted…' _She moaned as his momentary shock wore off and his hands came back to life, one tangling in her hair as the other wove around her waist. He applied pressure to her lips, kissing back with an intensity she hadn't known he felt, at least not about her. She felt her rationale disappear as she pulled him back with her, sending them tumbling back onto her bed with Yazoo atop her, his coat rubbing roughly against her arms.

She felt his hand move from her hair to pull her head back before his lips left hers to rest on her neck. Kairi let out another moan, this one somewhat stifled as she ran her hands down his back, starting to pull off his coat with her hands, impatiently. He seemed to sense this as he aided her in the effort, glad to be rid of the heavy, confining piece of clothing. Kairi hissed when she felt his bare arms meet hers, hot skin against hot skin. '_He's only wearing a muscle shirt…_' she mused as he continued to kiss along the crevices of her neck, slowly moving down to her collarbone, sucking gently at the sensitive area as Kairi moaned again. Her hand tangled in his silver hair, running through the silky locks as she tried not so scream his name. She felt his other hand move from her waist to her thigh, his fingers trailing up and down the expanse of exposed skin due to the shortness of her pajama shorts. Her hair was already matted from having to wet her head to help cool the fever; but the fire she felt now was nothing compared to the sickness settling in the pit of her stomach as she allowed Yazoo's lips to move further down. She gasped as she felt them stop above the hem of her cotton-striped bra, his teeth gripping it sensually through the fabric of her cotton pajama top.

Her eyelids slid closed again as she reached for his top, pulling it upwards to lift over his head as he allowed her thus, lifting his hands for but a moment. The minute she'd accomplished her small task Yazoo's hands returned the favor, sliding her shorts off with one hand as his other removed her top. Kairi reveled in his expertise as he quickly flipped her on her stomach, his fingers deftly snapping her bra off as he placed his lips on the curvature of her spine, slowly trailing his fingers against her soft, milky skin. She trembled beneath his gentle touch. She knew he'd never hurt her but something still felt strange, a feeling that wouldn't go away from the center of her chest as she was flipped over again. This time, in the dim lighting, she could see Yazoo's eyes, lidded with lust and something else, as she finally felt a blush come over her cheeks. '_I'm...practically naked…_' she realized as she watched his eyes sweep over what was exposed of her body, which was everything except her actual private area since her panties remained. She lifted her arms, her hands coming in towards her breasts to cover them.

But Yazoo must have read her mind because his hands shot out, catching her wrists as he shook his head before lowering her hands to where they had been previously. Kairi felt her eyes widen as they met his strong emerald gaze, not quite sure what to do or where to go with what was happening. Sure, she'd messed around, made-out in closets and even gone a little further than that. But that was with guys that had meant nothing. '_But this is Yazoo…who I've had a crush on for years…and then there's—_' She never finished the thought as she felt an odd but comforting weight atop her own body, breaking her from her reverie. She glanced up, taking in the curtain of silver hair falling around her face, eagerly meeting his lips as they sought her own, exploring every part of the warm crevice that was her mouth.

She moaned into his mouth as she felt one of his hands come up and cup the soft flesh of her breast, kneading softly as he continued his pleasurable assault on her mouth with his tongue. As if on reflex—though she was hardly sure it was that alone—her legs lifted, cradling him between her thighs as her limbs curled around his waist. When he finally removed his lips from hers, she could only let out a deep, breathy moan as she felt them come in contact with the sensitive flesh of her breast, his tongue soothing. Her head fell back against her pillow as she ran her hands down his back, her small yet sharp nails dragging a line down his own pale flesh. She was relieved her Uncle was out of town. '_And to think he trusted us both so much…_' Her eyelids widened suddenly when she felt his fingers rub against the moist barrier of her underwear, teasing as he continued his torture of her body, seeming as though he'd memorized every curve and inch of it.

"Oh…god…Yazoo…oh, please…" She groaned in sweet agony as she reached for him, straining to grab any other part of him that she could find, her body shivering and trembling with each of his touches. It was as though everywhere his lips and fingers caressed her left a trail of white hot fire, searing through her insides like the taste of forbidden fruit. And when it reached her mouth it tasted sweet but bitter. She blinked, momentarily confused. '_Bitter…? But the forbidden fruit is supposed to be so sweet that it makes one want only that…so why this rotten feeling, Kai?_' She looked down as she realized all the movements between them had stilled. He was giving her a questioning look, and she finally noticed his fingers gripping the fabric of her panties. She blushed as she registered what he was asking; but instead of waiting for an answer—she knew it would have been yes—he started to slowly pull the cloth away, inching it down at an agonizing pace as Kairi bit her lip in anticipation. But as she looked at him, she actually realized what this meant and her world started to crumble. One word crossed her mind at the exact moment.

Yazoo paused, finally coming to within his own mind. '_Oh god…I…what am I doing?_' He lay still as her tears slid down his hot skin, not sure how to go about his next actions. Part of him was screaming that it had to end here and now; she was his younger brother's friend and she was off-limits. '_Looks like it's a little too late for that, right, Yazoo, you bastard?_' He berated himself as she continued to say nothing as well as stay still in his arms, her sniffles the only sounds he had to go on. '_I'm the older one here…_' Snapping himself back into reality—as harsh as it was—Yazoo reeled himself to speak. "Kai…we don't have to do this…" He sighed. "We SHOULDN'T be doing this…"

"Sora…" Came the choked sob from the girl within his arms. Kairi shut her eyelids tightly.

Curious and feeling sick all the time, Yazoo kept on. "Kairi…we have to end this…it's not right…I shouldn't have forced you into this…but you have to let me go…"

"You didn't force me," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I wanted this, you…and now…I…look what I've done?" He felt as though his eyes would bulge but he listened as she continued. "But I…I realized I WANTED you. But not anymore…I don't want you anymore…" she started sobbing again, harder. "Sora…" Her cries rose in volume. "God…I'm in love with Sora…"

She finally dissolved in his arms. Ashamed, Yazoo began to dress himself, covering up before he turned to her as she sat there, her body limp and uncooperative as he dressed her as well. Once she was covered enough and had quieted down a little, he led her to the kitchen and poured her a warm cup of tea that he'd prepared before everything they'd just done. She sat there, fingers curled around the cup as silent tears trailed down her flushed cheeks, her lips pursed and bruised from his kisses. He sat across from her, feeling very much like a lecherous bastard, his gloved hands curled around his own cup of scalding hot tea, which he wanted to pour on his head at the moment. All he could do was look at her, waiting for a sign of some sort. His prayer was answered, in a twisted way, when she gave him a weak smile.

"Yazoo?" He nodded at his name and she smiled a little more. "Um…thank you…for understanding and everything." He wanted to laugh but shook his head as she reached out and rubbed her small fingers over his hand. "I'm not mad…I just…would you mind if I was alone now? I promise I won't say anything if you don't."

He nodded, his cup of tea left at the table as he made his way towards the door. Once there, he turned to her forlorn form, offering her a weak smile of his own. "Goodnight Kai."

She watched him begin to disappear into the night, her heart feeling slightly lighter. "Goodnight." He waved one last time before she started to close the door, her whisper carrying to his ears nonetheless. Yazoo hung his head as he made his way back home, his own words ringing in his ears like a broken record. '_What's the worst that could happen?'_ Frustrated, he clenched his fist. _'You fucked up so bad, Yazoo.'_

* * *

Larxene was staring absently out of her window, her mind wandering and fingers planted firmly atop her arms inside her coat sleeves. She could hear everyone else babbling about, trying to figure out the date to do reconnaissance. Previous to now they had decided to reschedule the reconnaissance mission due to the fact that both Larxene and Marluxia were acting strange and completely uncooperative. They had changed it to the week after, the week when Larxene knew that Prom fever would be in full swing. She saw it as a detriment that it was happening at that moment while Axel and Roxas argued it was perfect timing because Namine would be focused elsewhere. Coincidentally, Axel realized that Roxas would not be present at their mission because he would want to go to the Prom with Namine, Kairi, and Sora. She knew Riku was taking her sister but had failed to point that out, on purpose, just to piss off the pyromaniac. She knew Roxas didn't need to go but he probably would, regardless.

Namine, though by no means a demanding girl, had followed through with the whole fiasco, insisting she be allowed to sleep over Kairi's in order to get ready. As it was, Larxene had noticed the red haired female acting strangely off, skittish and she had constantly thrown nervous stares in Sora's direction. From what she knew, Larxene had come across information that Sora, too, was also going to the prom though it was assumed that Kairi would go with him since they were somewhat going out. But every time Sora touched Kairi, the red head jumped or muttered an excuse and ran off. Larxene found this odd due to the fact that being together, Kairi shouldn't have behaved in such a manner. Shaking her head of these thoughts she refocused her energy on the young blonde who was waiting by the door, tapping her foot impatiently while Roxas wandered around with various items in a traveling overnight bag. The dirty blonde had agreed to take her sister to Kairi's in order to prepare for the night; prom was in 24 hours. As the evening time fell upon them she knew the night rush of Prom would cause a lot of distraction and Axel would probably be in full tantrum mode when he learned Roxas would attend without him. She was back into her reverie when it was unceremoniously broken by a light tap on the arm. She glared irritably at Sora though he seemed unfazed by this, instead holding up the rusted key they'd discussed weeks ago. He carefully gestured to the table where Marluxia was sitting, apathetically holding a steaming cup of tea and looking dully at an outdated magazine. When they had all been seated the youth placed the key down on the table between them, his eyes somewhat apprehensive.

"I had this thing checked out by my friend who works with technology. He's a real nerd, analyzes this stuff on his free time. Anyway…seems like it has a pretty complex code embedded in it, one that, I imagine, unlocks a lot of doors." Sora breathed out a steady breath when both Marluxia and Larxene nodded for him to continue. "He couldn't crack the actual code but he was able to decipher the purpose of the code."

"KH International head quarters."

Sora shook his head vigorously in agreement. "Yes. It has an encryption linking it to KH international. However, a lot of the codes may or may not be outdated. It would seem that, within his research, he discovered only a few of these were made when KH International first came into existence. When their head scientist quit, most of the keys were destroyed save for a few. Luxord managed to get away with one but I imagine Sumitse knew about it and he could have very well changed all the locks. But it is safe to say, from what I understand, that the security key code for their main database could not be changed due to the heightened level of encryption and the advanced coding put into it. This means that once you're in, no one can stop you from getting into the main laboratory unless they do it physically."

Sora swallowed. "There is…something else though." Larxene and Marluxia looked intrigued. "I found out the rest of the codes from Leon's key cards and my friend was able to down load copies of it. He's still trying to figure out how to transfer it without putting himself in the mix. If we had someone tech savvy enough they could take the work and do it on their own. But ah…" he paused, scratching his head and throwing a nervous glance in the direction where Demyx, Zexion and Axel were working. "You see...the guy who wrote the codes…um…how do I say this…"

"Spit it out, hair boy. I don't have all day!" Larxene snapped.

Marluxia looked annoyed but nodded. "Yes, Sora, time is very crucial at the present. If you could be so kind as to disclose this information it would assist us all greatly."

"It's Zexion," he blurted out quickly, clenching the key in his hands.

Larxene's face went pale as a sheet as she grasped what he said, letting it sink in. Within mere moments she had sprung up from her seat at the table, and seconds later Zexion was slammed against the wall, her hands tightly around his collar. For his part Zexion's face remained expressionless. Demyx had his hands to his mouth in horror while Axel blinked, trying to understand what had just happened.

"Bastard, it was you! How DARE you come into my house, eat my food, sleep in my home, pretend to be our friend when this is your fault!"

Axel barely managed to catch Larxene's arm that held a kunai aimed straight for Zexion's temple. The red-head struggled to pull her off of him, ignoring her shouts and violent kicks to throw him off. He threw a frustrated look at Marluxia who let out a string of obscenities before assisting him, yanking Larxene's arms back so hard she fell backwards, shocked and wild. Demyx quickly helped his boyfriend up, his eyes full of terror and confusion as the silver haired man dusted himself off, still expressionless. Roxas whirled around on Larxene, eyes hard and irritated.

"What the fuck is going on?" Axel roared in anger, his emerald eyes narrowed.

Marluxia struggled to hold the lady of the house down where she had landed. "I'll tell you! He made this possible. That…that SNAKE has been pretending this whole time! He's the one that…my step-father's top research scientist!"

Zexion sighed as all eyes turned towards him, even Demyx's. "It's true." The musician recoiled, as though he had been stung. "I WAS the top research assistant. I quit so many years ago. I was…a child genius, you could say. I was very young when my parents agreed to hand me over to Sumitse in exchange for his money. I was their top technician. I created the main security codes to the genetics lab. That is why…" he looked away to the side. "That's why I knew this plan I devised couldn't fail. While it has been many years since I was there and I no longer know the layout…the main codes will remain the same because no one can undo them…except me."

"Zexion…why…" Demyx looked so mortified and betrayed that it shocked everyone else, even Marluxia. "Why…how could you not tell me this? Larxene is my friend!"

For the first time, in a long time, everyone bared witness to the look of pain and agony that crossed the schemer's face as Demyx's words sunk-in. "Demyx…please…I did not come here with those intentions all those years ago. I never knew who Larxene was all those years ago. I was never even allowed out of the lab. Please," he pleaded to the brown haired musician who continued to slowly back away. "It was never my intention to come here. I stumbled upon this place. I was running from Sumitse. Demyx, listen to me."

"No. I can't believe you lied to me all this time!" the other man yelled, turned tail and ran outside, Zexion chasing after him.

Marluxia felt a headache coming on despite the fact that, following the outburst, Larxene had calmed considerably. He couldn't read her expression though she seemed tranquil enough; he'd learned that this was a façade she used quite often. Despite the earlier awkwardness and discomfort around her, he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, which she promptly shrugged off. He didn't take offense, however, and waited for a reply. "Nymph…"

"Yeah, I know, okay?" She sounded tired, defeated as she sat there, shoulders sagging and movements lethargic. "It's not…he didn't mean to. But still I…" She offered him a quick glance before getting to her feet with a heavy sigh. "I need to be alone. If anyone decides they absolutely need to come piss me off more…I'll be in my room."

"I'll…accompany you," Marluxia said, the statement not an option or an offer.

She bristled but did not refuse. "Fine…whatever." She had barely stepped on the first stair when she brought her gaze to Roxas. "Make sure…Namine has a good time. Now fuck off, and leave me alone."

Axel was about to protest Marluxia following her but Roxas put a gentle hand to his lover's arm and shook his head. "Not now, Axel, not now. Please…we need to get to the bottom of this. Whatever is going on between those two…it can wait. They're adults. They can deal with their own drama. Our concern is…Namine."

Nodding, the fiery haired man agreed. Sora was standing a few feet away, frozen in place, with the rusted antique key still in his hands. Only now did any of them realize it wasn't exactly a real key and the discovery came at a heavy price for the brown haired youth. Roxas finally took a moment to take in Sora's appearance: the flattened but tangled look of his hair, the dirty texture of his skin and the unkemptness of his clothing, which Roxas finally realized Sora had been wearing for more than a few days. Worry etched over his features at the sudden implications of his friend's disheveled appearance, and he directed Axel to go retrieve Demyx and Zexion while he attended to the current matter before him. Quietly, Sora took a seat at the abandoned kitchen table, the silence suffocating him as he stared at the key in his hands. He felt bitter, hot tears welling up in his eyes when a steaming cup of tea was set down in front of him. Bringing his embarrassed gaze to Roxas, Sora let one tear slide down his tan skinned cheek.

"How long, Leonhart?"

Sora sighed, quickly wiping the tear away. "4 days? Something like that. I've been sleeping at the Ice Cream Parlor. No one else…no one else knows."

"You should've been staying here, moron." Roxas' voice was low but firm. "Why…did he kick you out?"

"He wouldn't say," Sora replied, playing idly with the object in his fingers. "But Rox, man…you should've seen his face. I don't think he did this on purpose. He looked…scared. So, you know, it got me thinking…is my brother involved more than I thought? What's got him so terrified he had to kick me out but looked pained when he did?"

It was Roxas' turn to sigh, his heart heavy as he took a seat across from the brown haired youth. "I don't know, and that's what we're trying to figure out. But promise me, Leonhart…you'll stay with us for a while. Larxene isn't going to care. She probably wouldn't even know. There's a spare bedroom next to Namine's and if that doesn't work, you can have our room."

Sora shook his head. "No…I'll be okay at the parlor, really." The dirty blonde shot him a loathing look and was about to snap when the brown haired boy lifted his hands in retreat. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll take the couch though. Who knows what fluids are all over your room, man."

Roxas was about to retort when Axel burst through the door, looking extremely irritable with Demyx following, teary eyed. Shortly afterwards Zexion stepped in with an expression that could only signify regret and pain. He nodded to his boyfriend that he was talking to Sora and that the pyromaniac should deal with the other two people involved in their plan. For his part, Sora seemed to be in a little better spirits, his eyes back to their normal brightness and interest piqued at the scene before him. The chestnut haired young man wanted to apologize to their friends for outing Zexion but couldn't find it in himself to meet the lavender haired man's eyes at all. Even though it wasn't his fault he felt very guilty about the whole occurrence despite Larxene's quick recession into herself. He felt like he had just ruined a perfectly loving bond between the two men, between two friends. While he didn't hang out with Zexion or Demyx personally, or all that often, he did seem them frequently throughout the years he'd been friends with Namine and Roxas. He was very close to them, meeting Roxas and Namine just shy of Jr. High.

"Are you…" Sora trailed with uncertainty. "Did you guys…"

"We're fine, really," Demyx answered through tear stained cheeks but with a small smile on his face. "And no, there's no way in hell we're breaking up but that doesn't mean I have to like what I heard."

Zexion nodded his agreement, his mouth in a pronounced scowl. "And I didn't have to like admitting it, either."

Sora flinched. Roxas shook his head. "It's not your fault, Sora. We all know that. Our pasts are our pasts. No one has control of that once it's been done. Let it go."

Meanwhile, in the upper reaches of the house, Larxene was trying very hard to ignore Marluxia's presence in her room. The fact that she let him up there at all was odd enough in and of itself; but to have him sitting there on her bed while she fumed was even stranger. Considering what had happened between them not too long ago, she was sure that he wouldn't want to be within ten feet of her. And yet here he was, idly staring out her window while she sat, still as death, on her bed against the walls. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, the space between them so noticeable she couldn't stand it. She could smell him, practically touch him—it was exhilarating, borderline intoxicating having him there. Yet all she could do was feel the blood pounding in her veins at his nearness, the anxiety making her sweat to the point she bit her lip to distract herself.

"Avoiding the issue, in my experience, has never been a wise idea, let alone an option."

She huffed in annoyance at the idea but nodded, feeling aggravated all the way. "About what happened…"

He smiled a little too eerily for her liking. "We can certainly forget what happened if that is what you wish. I will be more than accommodating to these feelings, Miss Larxene."

She huffed again. "I told you to stop calling me that." He blinked at her and in return, she let out a heavy sigh, one filled with uncertainty and irritation. "What if…" she glanced at him, gauging his reaction. "What if I didn't want to forget it happened?" His eyes widened a mere fraction, a reaction she wouldn't have caught had she not been staring at him so intently. "I can't believe I'm fucking asking this but…you said something that night…something you didn't finish…what was it?"

For once Marluxia wasn't sure how to respond. His cheeks felt warm and he knew he was blushing, something uncommon for him. He recalled telling her that he didn't want her the way she was pretending to be; but how could he explain that to her without making her misconstrue what he was trying to get across? Larxene sighed, the slight disappointment and utter disbelief not lost on him even though she had now turned away. "Miss Larxene…"

"Shut up, flower boy," she snapped in reply, her teeth gritted and eyes watery though she thought he could not see them. "It was a stupid question."

"No…it was not, Miss Larxene, by any means." His voice was soft and he smiled, despite himself.

"Then why didn't you answer it?" The question hung in the air between them and she slowly inclined her head towards him, averting her eyes to her hands as she did so, twiddling her fingers uncharacteristically. "Then why do you just…why did you kiss me…the other night?"

He let out a heavy breath he didn't know he was holding. "Clearly because I wanted to, Miss Larxene."

Brushing off his arrogance, she blushed scarlet to the roots of her blonde hair but neither made a move to engage in any physically romantic interaction. A small, barely noticeable smile placed her lips as she returned her gaze back to her plain wall, trying not to acknowledge the heat of Marluxia's body next to hers, or the way his hand slowly crept closer to hers on the bed sheets. It was only in the moment that their fingertips touched that Larxene felt a light tingle at his skin, carefully bringing her eyes to his. Sapphire met teal and she felt her breath catch in her throat; his eyes softened and he leaned in towards her. Larxene's breath hitched when his fingers curled under her chin, bringing their lips agonizingly close until they barely touched. In all her years she had never experienced something so erotic, so sensual—it made her feel like she'd spontaneously combust. She let her eyes slide closed at the gentle touch of Marluxia's lips to hers, the barest hint of connection between them. She felt her heart leap out of her chest at the gesture and the brown haired man's other arm came up to cradle her closely to himself though the kiss remained ever so chaste and non-intrusive. Again she felt the tears prick her eyelids but refused to let them fall, to let them ruin this moment she was intent on filing away in her mind for however long she could.

When they separated both blushed so brightly that, for once, Larxene felt genuinely giddy and turned away embarrassedly. Marluxia ran a quick hand through his hair in an attempt to clear his jumbled brain with as much grace as he could muster. The silence that settled upon them began to dissipate into a more comfortable atmosphere that had Larxene itching to touch him again; Marluxia was doing his best not to grab her. Hormones neither had felt in a long time began to push and prod through their systems. With the close proximity it was a surprise to both that they hadn't tackled each other purely out of primal urges. _'Do we still have those?_' she wondered idly to herself.

"So…um…what now?" She ventured carefully.

Marluxia granted her with a chuckle. "I imagine we cannot…go back to how it was before. However, I do not think you will feel comfortable given the state of…important matters. What is it that you would like to happen, Nymph?"

And just like that the nickname didn't bother her so much anymore. Leaning back, she gingerly let herself rest against his back, the gesture comforting though unfamiliar. "I…don't know. I'm not very…good with this type of stuff." She snorted. "I'm sure you can tell, can't you?"

He nodded, the reverberation traveling down the length of her spin to tingle at the case of her neck. "Yes, upon my first observation, of course. And no…I would imagine you would not like this to be a public announcement or event. This does not, however, persuade me otherwise of eventually needing to tell your companions, perhaps when the time is better suited to news of…a different kind. If you should wish to keep it a secret for the time being, then we shall certainly do so. I would not wish to make you uncomfortable unnecessarily."

Larxene sighed tiredly. "That's good to know. But we have to start dealing with this whole…fiasco. I was ready to stab Zexion in the head. I don't think that's a reason for him to abandon the mission but uh…I still am not okay with this revelation, fucking damn this all…"

She could feel his hand covering her own again in an attempt to soothe her. While it didn't necessarily have the exact desired effect he was probably wishing for, she did feel a sense of calm overtake her. "Miss Larxene, it is in our best interests to stop creating further problems. We have far too many barriers as it is. This once, you must agree."

"Don't order me around, flower," she snapped though it lacked the venomous edge it usually contained especially for him. "Fine, killing him will have to wait for later. I guess I should go figure out how to…get Axel off my back. There's no doubt in my mind that he has ideas about all…this."

"His suspicion for the current situation would not be unwarranted, I'm afraid, dear Nymph," Marluxia conceded with a smirk.

He quickly leaned over and pecked her on the cheek before she could protest. It caught her off guard enough for him to also take her hand and kiss it in the most gentlemanly gesture possible before he was out her door and heading across the hallway to the adjacent bathroom. Mentally slapping herself, Larxene prepared to confront her friends in the light of what had just transpired, not really feeling sure if she was ready to deal with Axel and all his obnoxious, know-it-all annoyances. She really wanted nothing more than to bash his head straight through a piece of plexi-glass, preferably without Roxas there to rescue him. Sighing, she picked herself up and made her way towards the bottom portion of her house, steeling her nerves to hold and her rationale to remain in the pretense of aggravation that was about to be upon her in mere seconds.

True to his nature, Axel sidled over to her right as her foot was about to hit the last stair, his bright green eyes narrowed and lips in a telltale smirk. "So, what were you up to?"

Rolling her eyes Larxene shoved him out of the way. "Plotting your impending demise."

Axel's smirk widened two-fold as he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "So is he big?"

Larxene was baffled, gaping at Axel for a mere second before her right arm shot out and landed a punch on his chin. The dancing flame stumbled for a moment though he did not yell as she had expected. Instead he erupted into a fit of chuckles as he cradled his aching chin, eyes wild and pointing an accusatory finger at her. She fumed, her body shaking in annoyance. Demyx, Zexion and Sora glanced up at the pair while Roxas remained absorbed in his current task.

"You-you didn't!"

She huffed. "What the fuck, Axel. I'm not a damn floozy. No, we didn't. We were going over plans you moron."

"Since when do you need anyone to go into your room to do that?" Demyx's eyes were innocent, curious.

"They're so fucking," Axel said.

"You're disgusting and no, we're not, faggot," Larxene ground out through her gritted teeth. "Unlike you, whorebag, I actually want to do this all the right way."

"Well, that's a first. What made you change your mind?" Roxas' blue eyes were looking at her suspiciously.

Feeling a little cornered, though it did not show, Larxene huffed again. "Why the hell is that so important? Shouldn't we be going over plans? Besides, ROXAS, aren't you supposed to be leaving soon to take Namine to prom?"

Axel looked smug. "He doesn't need to. Riku is taking her."

Roxas sighed. "You're right, I'm not but she asked me to come anyway. Sorry."

The red head's mouth would've fallen to the floor if it was physically possible but hanging to his chest was good enough for her. Larxene looked smug now. "But you said she had a date! What the fuck does she need you to go for too?!"

Roxas shot him a cold look. "She does have a date and I am her best friend, Axel. You guys will do fine without me. Stop whining."

Accepting what Larxene considered a great defeat, Axel sulked off into the upstairs part of the house. The blonde haired woman shot Roxas an appreciative look before gesturing to Marluxia who was, conveniently, coming down the staircase. The brunette haired man shot Roxas a questioning look regarding Axel who had moped by him moments prior to his descending the stairs; Roxas rolled his eyes. At this, Larxene did not have to feign annoyance as she turned, grabbing Marluxia and Zexion's hands and dragging him outside to the porch for conversation. She figured it was best to leave the other three to themselves while she and Marluxia discussed the finer points of the plan with Zexion. Both men seemed thoroughly aggravated about being dragged outside without any warning, perhaps even against their wills but arguing with Larxene would prove, more or less, a pointless venture now that they were in the thick of things. It was all futile. She hadn't quite forgiven Zexion but putting his plan into motion was her way of having him make it up to all of them, especially Namine—she wouldn't voice this. Yet the scheming man knew it all the same such was the way things worked where their mutual relationships were concerned.

From inside Roxas let out a heavy sigh when he realized that, sooner or later, he was going to have to go deal with his boyfriend. In the meantime, he gave Sora specific instructions to get himself cleaned up and ready to leave the house. Prom was only in a few hours and neither wanted to be late for their dates. As it was, the dirty blonde knew he was going to need every minute possible when it came time to leave; Axel would have another fit. '_Would it be so bad to take him?'_ He pondered whether the rest actually needed him. Subtlety wasn't Axel's strong suit and he might be more of a detriment than a help to the reconnaissance mission. It was way more of Zexion's style. Demyx had opted to sitting this particular mission out since he wasn't particularly suave, quiet or graceful unlike the other two. Marluxia and Zexion had seemed the perfect choices. Sighing, Roxas made his way up towards his and Axel's room, already hearing the tantrum throwing going on inside. Squaring his shoulder the younger man marched in and slammed the door.

* * *

A few hours later found Namine and Kairi fussing over each other's hair, dresses, heels, everything. Namine's ivory shaded dress was more like a ball gown compared to Kairi's deep, salmon colored dress that stopped right above her knees. Namine's continued in length, stopping at the floor where it would surely have dragged if not for her satin, cream tinted heels. Kairi's own strappy, sandal like pumps, ivory in color, matched the festoon pearly in her auburn hair. The blonde haired girl had merely put clips in her own hair, accenting her dress with simple white gloves that went up to her elbows just like Kairi's. It was close to 8:00 PM when both girls realized that Sora and Roxas would be arriving soon to pick them up for Prom. They giggled naturally as they continued to get ready, searching for the right makeup: blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick, etc. Namine was unaccustomed to many of these rituals since her stepfather had hardly let her go anywhere before she ran away, which hadn't been that long ago. So now she was seated at Kairi's vanity with the other girl carefully applying light makeup to her porcelain skin. Kairi had informed her that Namine wouldn't need anything more than some blush and basic makeup since her skin was practically flawless. Chuckling good naturedly, the auburn haired girl applied a small coat of eyeliner to Namine's closed eyelids as she struck up a menial conversation.

"So…Namine…you and Riku are going, right?"

The blonde haired teenager blushed to the roots of her hair, which made Kairi burst into laughter, barely managing not to smear liquid liner all over her friend's eyes. "I…we…he asked me…" she stammered in embarrassment. "I'm…I know he's your friend…Kairi."

"Relax, I'm totally dating Sora. Riku is just my best friend," she answered though Namine didn't miss the almost nervous undertone in her voice. "We've known each other forever. Besides…I think he's really into you."

Namine frowned. "Why? I mean…he's much older than me…and we've never really…I mean, why would he even like me, Kairi?"

The other girl leaned down and took Namine's hand in hers, smiling up at her as she kneeled. "Listen to me, Namine Isuki. You are an amazing girl. I know the last few months have been rough for you, though I don't know all the details. What I do know is that he finds you interesting and he's already told me he likes you and he already told you that too so just go with it. Just…enjoy Prom, okay? It's only happens once for us. Let's make it a night to remember?"

Smiling with contained excitement in reply, Namine nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Kairi."

"Good, now let's finish your makeup. It's almost 8:00 PM and we don't want to be late!"

As if on cue there was a knock at the front door. The girls squealed as Lexaeus' foosteps headed in the direction of the front door to let their dates inside the house. Seconds later the two girls could hear boisterous voices of 4 males, which made Kairi raise her brow in curiosity. Namine held up a guilty hand. "I asked Roxas to come with me…but I assume Axel threw a fit so…it must be all four of the guys…"

Kairi giggled, a blush staining her cheek. "I guess we're in for one hell of a party then, right? Axel and Riku are older and something tells me that it's going to be an interesting night. Now, let's not keep those poor boys waiting."

Holding her breath, and taking Kairi's encouraging hand, Namine stepped out of the room first into the blinding light of the Hashiba's living room. She tried to hide the blush that began to spread the entirety of her face when Riku's gaze drifted from his tie to her, his aquamarine eyes failing to hide his appreciation and surprise. She could tell, obviously, that he liked what he saw and it made her want to hide in shyness. His own tuxedo looked like it was made of the finest material around and she had to assume it was made by Donald's fine tailoring*, one of the most expensive tuxedo brokers around. She also didn't let on that she recognized Sora's borrowed suit, one of Roxas' best pieces that only she had seen before—but the brunette looked stunning. Even Axel and Roxas looked every bit the stellar pair in their penguin like tuxedos, the coat tails finely pressed and ties matching each others' eyes. The moment was broken when Riku strode up to her while Sora conversed with Lexeaus about what time he needed to have Kairi home and such. He extended his hand in a gentlemanly gesture, which caused Kairi to giggle when Namine took his outstretched hand with a flush of her pale skinned cheeks. Ever the non-conventional chivalrous, surprising young adult, the platinum blonde haired man placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. When his lips pressed there the blush already spreading across the soft blonde's hair spread like wildfire.

Roxas rolled his eyes as he grabbed Axel's hand and dragged him out the door before Lexeaus had an aneurism from the kissy face's the red-head was shooting at Riku's behind. Namine had already given him a death look when Riku had leaned down to adjust his laces but it had not stopped the pyromaniac from continuing his sordid antics. Once outside in the warm air of Twilight Town's evening, Riku leaned over the petite blonde, smiling into her ear.

"You look stunning."

She felt the heat rise even further when his hand came to settle on the small of her back, ushering them towards the small limousine that Sephiroth had been kind enough to book for them. Conveniently, his older brother had grounded Kadaj from attending the prom despite the fact that he was graduating with them, claiming that Kadaj was still, technically by age, considered an underclassman and such activities were for older classmen. Riku was relieved with this decision as Namine was probably not quite ready to face his youngest brother after the horrible accusations made upon her older sister. Once everyone was settled into the slick, shiny black automobile, Axel whipped out a bottle of Bacardi that had Namine's eyes bulging in question. The red head merely opened it and took a sizable gulp from it, draining it until the neck. Roxas rolled his eyes before snatching it and taking a small sip and holding it up to the middle in offering. She watched in slight awe as Sora grabbed it quickly, downing a gulp that made him cough and splutter shortly thereafter. Kairi declined with a polite smile and looked to Namine and Riku.

"You two want any?"

Namine faltered. "I don't…Larxene doesn't allow me to drink. Riku?"

The platinum blonde shook his head. "It's cool. I've got my cigs, guys. Thanks."

Axel greedily stole the bottle back and continued to drink from it for a few more minutes before settling down, placing the bottle back under the limousine seat. No one said a word for a few minutes, the silence comfortable, until Axel fell to the floor and began rummaging through his discarded coat pockets. Namine shot him an incredulous glare, wondering if he was actually drunk but was proven otherwise when he resurfaced with a small, blue metallic device. Kairi laughed.

"All that for your mp3 player? God, Axel, you're weird."

The red head smirked. "What? We need some better music in here to get this Prom started the right way!"

"If drinking is your version of the right way, I'd hate to see what your version of the wrong way would be," Namine supplied, her eyes filled with mirth despite her tone of voice. "Does it involve crack and cocaine?"

Roxas rolled his eyes."Axel doesn't do anything that requires needles or things going up his nose."

"Only things going in his mouth, it seems," Riku interjected to everyone's horror.

"Think you could do better, blondie?" Axel's smirk widened as his fidgeted with the auxiliary cord and input. "Let's have a contest. You can suck me off." Roxas smacked him hard, eyes annoyed. "Ah…just kidding, Kosaka. Wouldn't know if you could fit me into the virginal mouth of yours."

"Enough guys, seriously," Roxas snapped when it was evident that Namine was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. He glanced towards his friend, tone conversational. "So, Sora, how's work at the ice cream shop?"

Sora shot him a skeptical look. "Are you serious? Roxas, you know how boring work is. That damn ice cream machine breaks so frequently they should just shut the damn store down if they're not going to buy another ice cream maker." He glanced to Kairi was who was giggling. "You can't be serious about wanting to talk about work?"

Kairi shook her head quickly. "Let's talk about the after party. Prom is fun but really, we should be confirming plans for AFTER."

Axel smirked. "Duh, after party at Larxene's!"

Roxas pinched his boyfriend. "We didn't even ask her! You know how she gets. We can't just stroll in there without at least telling her!"

"I think she cleared it earlier, something about reconnaissance with Marluxia," Riku volunteered as he shot Namine a smile that made her blush to the roots of her hair. "Besides, that's part of why they arranged it this way. Anyway, we're here. Let's get in there."

The rest of the teenagers eagerly climbed out of the black limousine, Kairi leading the way and practically dragging Sora up the stairs to the Twilight Town Hotel, the most expensive hotel in town. How their school had managed that one was a mystery to everyone though no one dared complain. Namine hesitated inside the running car, suddenly feeling ill as she watched her friends clamber their way up there. Seconds later she felt Riku's warm hand above her own gloved one, outstretched in question, his emerald eyes sparkling with curiosity. She felt another hot blush rise to her cheeks and tried desperately to shake off the sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach when she allowed his to close over hers. His touch was warm, secure as he led her up the stairs into the ballroom that had been sectioned off for their dance. She could see all her friends waiting for her at the entrance, the loud beat of the music drifting out from within the walls. And her heart felt heavier than usual as they proceeded inside, Riku's hand gently on the small of her back. It felt comfortable and she welcomed it but even then her skin felt dirty and she wanted to scrub furiously. However, the thought was cut off when they reached their table. Axel and Roxas had sat down and were talking to each other while Kairi had pulled Sora off to the dance floor.

Namine was about to sit down when she heard Riku speaking to her. "Yes?"

"Do you want to dance, Namine?"

She nodded absently, her hand seeking his as he led her to the dance floor. A slow song immediately came on and she easily fell into his embrace though it was loose and didn't encroach on her personal space as she saw fit. Namine could feel herself caught between wanting to pry his hands from their respective spots, or keep them there where they felt good. The decision was made for her when Riku's bravery got the best of him and he pulled her closer until her head could rest on his chest—he was much too tall for her. A scarlet blush colored her face though he could not see it yet she did not attempt to pull away this time, instead allowing herself a moment of happiness by snuggling closer despite the tuxedo irritating her skin. It was a moment she fully intended to treasure for as long as she could. From their vantage point, Axel and Roxas watched the pair as they slow danced, smiles on their weary faces. It was strange to them, how in a world full of crap the two seemed to fit right. Roxas frowned suddenly.

"It looks like a fairytale, doesn't it?" He directed the question to his boyfriend who was suddenly sneaking out a flask of liquor.

Axel took a long, unnoticed swig as the faculty passed by him, a smirk playing on his lips full of malice and bitterness. "Nope, ain't no fairytale. That shit is for suckers. Roxie, you know how fairytales are—circumstances are less than pretty but in this case…the circumstances are worse, disgusting, wrong. If luck is on their side, Riku will learn to understand her and what's happened. But she's no angel anymore…and he never was to begin with. There isn't anything untainted in that picture."

The dirty blonde rolled his eyes. "Trust you to ruin something possibly beautiful." Sighing, he put his head on his folded hands, his eyes roaming to where Kairi and Sora were talking though neither looked particularly pleased. "I wonder what's going on with them?"

Green eyes glistening, he diverted his attention to the pair in the corner. "Hmm…maybe things aren't as perfect as they'd appear, to quote Larxene. Trouble in paradise?"

Roxas snorted. "You and I both know there has never been a paradise as far as our eyes can see; not here. Our world is jaded, Axel."

The pair both let out simultaneous sighs at this, fingers intertwining underneath the tablecloth and out of view.

A couple hours later found them all back in the sleek black limousine, tired, some drunk and all thoroughly pleased with their Prom experience. Roxas was staring out the side window while Axel snored away on his shoulder, having passed out in a drunken stupor from consuming so much alcohol throughout the entire evening. Kairi was dozing comfortably snuggled up against Sora's side with their hands intertwined in a rather romantic gesture, the brunette's heavy jacket draped over her for warmth. But Namine remained awake with her blue eyes gazing at Riku's hand that was resting softly atop her own on his tuxedo clad knee, a light pink still coloring her cheeks as the platinum blone rested against the leather seating, his head on the headrest and face serene. Roxas quickly turned to her, shooting her a smirk when their eyes met. Sora's own smile was noticeable though he really wanted to laugh but refrained. Figuring all occupants were in a deep sleep, Roxas brought his attention back to the petite blonde sitting across from him.

"Namine?" She looked up. "Did you enjoy tonight?"

She nodded. "Yes I…I really did."

"Why do you look so frightened?" Sora inquired, eyebrows pinched in curiosity. "I know…I know I've been insanely jealous of Riku for years because of Kairi but Nami…he really is a good guy. Well, once you get past his being an asshole and the nonchalance."

Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. _'What the…are they mind readers?'_ She didn't know how they knew what she'd been pondering but it definitely irked her how in tune Roxas and Sora were with her own mind's thought process a lot of the time. Letting out a sigh she didn't know she'd been holding Namine let her body finally relax next to Riku's still form, somewhat calmed by his even breathing pattern. Suffice it to say that she was extremely nervous about the entire situation and didn't need more attention drawn to it by her friends. Larxene's involvement and knowledge had been more than enough to make her want to hide. She was more concerned with the fact Riku would find them all insane, run in the opposite direction and never return. That he had actually asked her to Prom still hadn't quite settled into her confused mind, yet. Nevertheless, she sighed again in obvious defeat.

"It's still all…new to me. I mean, Riku is a couple years older than me. Not to mention that he smokes and…well…with what happened…" her words trailed off into nothingness for a moment with neither male uttering a word in reply. Finding the courage to continue was difficult but Namine managed. "It's just…it's hard for me. I've liked him for so long…what if he gets bored? What if he decides this isn't for him?"

"What if he doesn't go anywhere?" Roxas interjected smugly. "He likes you. End of story Namine." Reaching across to place his hand on her unoccupied one, he gave her a lopsided grin. "Go with it, Namine. Stop thinking so much. You had fun, and you smiled all night tonight. Be happy, okay?"

Smiling shyly, she nodded. "Okay…but if something goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

* * *

(I'm still not sure how I feel about this chapter, to be honest. I KINDA liked where it was going then it just grew a couple extra, random heads of its own—i.e. Kairi's scene, the prom, etc, NO RECON! But there will definitely be some Recon in the next chapter. The title for this chapter might change again because there is a theme with the titles and I completely forgot it and need to dig up the paper with my notes! Anywho…thank you for reading, for reviewing, for being awesome and having faith. Love you all. Peace out.)

_Sadistickunais_


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